Serpent Moon… Sequel to Sirius’ Moon
by Aahz
Summary: S. Snape went missing at 16, 2 weeks after his parents’ funeral . When he was pronounced dead 11 years later, his siblings try to move on with their lives. That includes winning a contest to visit a Hogwarts for their Jr. year. Romance: RL w/ OC & SS w/
1. Intro

This story was posted before under the title- Sequel to Sirius' Moon, no title ideas yet. After reading through it, I noticed several errors, that I needed to amend. This is being done a chapter at a time, though it should be up to chapter 9 by Monday... This story is not complete, though I do have it planned out, chapter 9 is half written... the rest merely a wicked gleam in my eyes... Enjoy.  
  
~Story~  
  
Honey colored eyes watered, and though their owner struggled, a tear made it's way slowly down her face. Jamie closed her eyes. The sound of the first shovel full of dirt hitting the top of the empty coffin caused her to tighten the eyelids for a second, and then she opened them again. She bit her lips and turned her eyes to the left where her brother Aidan stood stoically, reminding her so much of the boy she had known, and the man they were supposed to lay to rest now. She heard a broken sob to her right and turned to face Adrian 'Ray', Aidan's twin sister. The wind picked up suddenly pulling at her dark hair. Jamie smiled a bit to reassure them.   
The man giving the eulogy began to say something else and Jamie turned to face him. "Not many people knew him, but those that did will remember him always. Missing since he was sixteen, the government of the United States of America has declared Severus Snape legally dead. God rest his soul."  
  
*************************  
  
Jamie was well accustomed to the pain and sadness, even if she was only twenty-four. She had lost her parents at age thirteen. Severus had disappeared about two weeks after their funeral. The only reason they'd stayed out of foster care had been the Snape family fortune. The state had forced them into boarding school. As soon as she was eighteen, she had petitioned the court for custody of the twins. They had been 11 then and 7 years younger than she was. The judge had given her custody and Jamie had pulled them from the boarding school. Jamie's entire group of siblings had the Magic. Aidan and Ray had been young enough to go to the United States Academy for Witches and Wizards. USAWW. Jamie had to settle with her six months of magical education. As a result, she lived a mostly muggle lifestyle.   
  
Another thing that was painful was when she had asked Mr. Wills for Severus' school records, she had been told he hadn't attended USAWW but that Severus had still gone away to school every year. Jamie had come to a dead end in her search for him.  
  
Aidan and Ray were juniors this year. It was only November, but next June, they'd be graduated and done with high school. Jamie still couldn't believe it. Ray was more like their mother with a pixie face. She was slim, and rather, ahem, 'vertically challenged'. She had her ears pierced all the way up along with her navel. She tended to dress a bit on the dark side, but that was just her. Her dark hair was about four inches long. She'd had the ends bleached and dyed a violent shade of purple.  
  
Aidan... Aidan was broody. He was always respectful, but he had a dark side. He had his left ear pierced, and had at least two tattoos that she knew of. On the other hand the girls always seem to have found him very attractive. Every vacation he had one come home with him, and there were at least two phone calls a day whenever he was home. He favored some very hole-y jeans and tight t-shirts. He was hardly ever seen without his leather jacket. His hair was a little more than shoulder length and kept in a tight ponytail.  
  
Jamie thought herself to be more normal. Well, as normal as a person named Jamison Lynora Snape could be.... She favored well worn jeans and t-shirts. Most of the time her long mane of black hair was pulled into a tidy knot at the back of her neck. She was a waitress during the day, but she was taking classes to get her teaching degree. This happened to bring her back to her current dilemma.   
She had been fired. So it looked like she was going to have to break her rule and use her trust fund. That such a wasn't a big deal. If she wanted she could live her entire life without ever working again. Ever. Then again she wanted to work, needed to. She felt useless otherwise.   
  
The phone rang, bringing her out of her contemplative state. Jamie reached it on the third ring. "Hello?"  
  
Ray's excited voice filled her ears. "Jamie! You know that contest? The one Aidan and I entered, the one where the winners get to go to a Wizarding school in England? Aidan and I WON!" Several moments of excited shrieking filled the line.  
  
Aidan's voice came over the line. "Yeah sis, but they'll only let us go if you go too."  
  
Ray snatched the phone back. "Please Jamie? It's ENGLAND for Crissake! Think of all those yummy accents!"  
  
Jamie pictured Aidan rolling his eyes and laughed.  
  
"Please Jamie! Mr. Wills says it's all expenses paid... everything. That's totally cool, and we get to stay until June! That's like an entire school year! It's only November!" Ray seemed to have gotten into the sugar again.  
  
"Ray... I don't know..." Jamie was only kidding of course. There was no way in Hera she could say no to this.  
  
"Please? You'd be in a MAGIC school... you could learn some more. Maybe sit in on some more classes..."  
  
20 minutes later Jamie hung up the phone. Well, it looked like she was going to a school with the unusual name of Hogwarts. 


	2. Hogwarts

Hey guys! Here's the second chapter, and so on. Notice, that in the first bit that Ray and Aidan do NOT give their last names. Neither does Cranky Pants... More WILL be explained... give me time... please...   
Hermione Granger yawned, but tried to cover it. Snape was being an absolute boar today and she had already lost 10 points for sneezing. Twice.   
  
"Ms. Granger..." Snape's sneered at her from over her shoulder. "It seems I'm boring you... Perhaps you would be less bored... if say... you had a six foot assignment about the effects of Veritaserum... due on my desk by dinner."  
  
Gasps came from everyone else in the class and Hermione found herself biting her tongue. She felt so angry... she had never done anything to him and he was being...   
  
A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. Snape growled and stomped over to the door, which he promptly ripped open. A small girl and a rather tall boy stood there, and they definitely were not wearing the traditional school robes. They were wearing muggle clothes; the girl in worn jeans and tight lace up blouse, both black. Her hair was wild...and tipped in purple?! The boy was well over six feet and dressed from head to toe in leather. His hair was long and in a tight ponytail at the nape of his neck.  
  
"I TOLD you this was the wrong room! I mean REALLY Aidan! Classes in dungeons?!" She spoke in a clearly American accent. Hermione sneezed... again and the girl finally noticed the door had been opened. She turned to face Snape.   
  
"What... could possibly be so important as to cause you to disturb my class?" He sneered down his nose at the girl.  
  
The boy she had called Aidan stepped in front of her and crossed his arms over his chest and opened his mouth. The girl was quicker though. She darted under his elbow and held out her hand to Snape. "I'm Adrian. I go by Ray though, if you don't want to die... and that's Aidan." She jerked her head in her brother's general direction. "We're the winners of the contest from USAWW. Professor Dorelydumble gave us these schedules and the directions to Transfiguration taught by one Minerva McGonagal. I'm going to take a wild guess and say that you aren't her."  
  
The class snickered at the way she massacred Dumbledore's name. And the fact that she hadn't even blinked at the way he addressed her.   
  
"Ray, it's Dumbledore. And the Bleached blonde kid who looked like that poster dude on your wall said it was UP stairs. Personally, I don't think he fits the description. Also, said bleached blonde kid also stated that it was a woman... as did the Headmaster. " Aidan's mouth quirked slightly in the corner.   
  
Snape's mouth opened and nothing came out.   
  
Ray elbowed Aidan in the ribs and shook her head. "Sorry. It's jetlag. Our plane got in several hours behind schedule... killing the nap idea. Jet lag is evil, don't you think?"  
  
Snape closed his mouth and blinked.   
  
More snickers from the peanut gallery. Snape whirled and gave them the old evil eye. Immediately they quieted and pretended to be busy.  
  
Snape turned. "Have you been sorted?"  
  
Ray and Aidan shook their heads. "Dumbledore?" Ray looked at Aidan for approval. He nodded and she grinned turning to face Snape again. "He wanted to wait until dinner tonight."  
  
An evil look came over Snape's face. " Fine."   
  
Ray and Aidan grinned rather evilly at each other.   
  
"Oh, and whichever house you're sorted from, 20 points will be deducted in your names. Due to your rude American behavior. 40 total."  
  
Ray seemed to stiffen. Her face masked over into a look colder than even Snape could manage. "Really?"  
  
Snape copied her movements. "Really."  
  
"Well sir, could you give us directions then? Or is that beyond you?" The girl bit her lip and glared.   
  
***************  
  
Jamie yawned and then smiled sheepishly at the headmaster. "Sorry."  
  
Dumbledore waved a hand. "That's fine. You said you've been up for about 18 hours straight now, correct?"  
  
"Yeah. I hope nobody starts anything with Ray today. She'll be cranky and then Aidan will be cranky, because he's her big brother if only by eight minutes. I can't even keep my thought process straight at this point. Sorry."  
  
The Headmaster smiled and Jamie noticed his blue eyes, twinkling brightly. "Now my dear, Adrian wrote me a letter as soon as she found out she'd won. She mentioned you only having six months of wizarding education?"  
  
Jamie seemed to get defensive, tensing up. "Yeah, but I've almost got my teaching degree, even if it IS muggle..."  
  
Dumbledore interrupted her, raising a hand. " I meant no offense. I was actually wondering if perhaps you would like to further your education?"  
  
Jamie's mouth dropped open. "Sir, I don't even have a wand anymore. IF I do any magic, It's wandless... And All I remember is what I got from the books I managed to find in stores... That kind of thing..."  
  
"So we will get you a tutor. I have several brilliant professors who wouldn't mind teaching you in the least. And when you're up to it we will sit you in on some classes." The Headmaster smiled and stood. Walking to the door, he opened it, revealing a women a couple of years older than Jamie and a bit shorter. And she had purple eyes...  
  
"This is Jacy Black, Our DADA teacher. Jacy, this is Jamison." He motioned her over, and Jamie shook the other woman's hand.  
  
"Jamie actually." That's when she noticed the tall good-looking man behind her. His dark hair and eyes seemed to burn into Jamie and she steeled her defenses.   
  
"And that's my husband, Sirius." Jacy shook her head and pulled the man forward.  
  
He inclined his head and offered his hand. Jamie took it and shook it firmly. The man quirked a brow and Jamie lifted hers right back at him.  
  
Jacy laughed. "Sirius is just cranky. I am sorry it is my fault. I made him do without this mornings' coffee."  
  
"I just assumed he was mute."  
  
This time Sirius laughed. "Sorry. You just look like..." His wife elbowed him in the ribs and he closed his mouth quickly.  
  
Jamie frowned. "I look like what? Or who?"  
  
Jacy shot her husband a look and he fumbled. "I mean... like you're exhausted. We should show you to your room..."  
  
The headmaster interrupted. "Brilliant idea. But maybe you could stop by Remus' classroom first. He mentioned wanting to meet you."  
  
**********  
  
They stood outside of a classroom that didn't seem to have a door, but when Sirius stepped through it, motioning for them to follow, there was a weird whooshing sound and then the sounds from the rest of the castle could no longer be heard.  
  
They were inside a lovely cluttered classroom. It was the architecture that was lovely not the items inside of it, mind you. Jamie found herself turning in a circle, staring. A tank with some sort of liquid in it had a strange looking little critter in it, with horn things on its head and spines on its hands and flipper things. On another shelf sat a skull with some very large pointy teeth. And then she saw a rather well built chest... then a... well-built chest?  
  
Jamie turned back a bit to find a man standing about two feet away from her. And he was TALL. Just as tall as Sirius. She tipped back her head... and tipped it some more. If this dude was that much taller than her 5'6" frame, then he must be around 6'4". Sandy hair with reddish highlights appeared, about collar length. Finally she met his eyes. His eyes were the color of rich mead, aged to perfection, amber around the pupils, getting darker towards the outsides.  
  
Jamie swallowed.   
  
The man smiled, bringing her attention to his mouth, with it's full lips and ...  
Jamie jerked her gaze back to his eyes and extended her hand. "Hi. I'm Jamie."  
  
"Remus Lupin. Nice to meet you." He motioned at the stuff in the room. "You looked like you had never seen any of this before."  
  
"That is because I haven't."  
  
"Oh? I was under the impression you were a witch." Remus exchanged a look with Sirius.  
  
"I only completed 6 months of magic school." Jamie waited for the comments.  
  
A dry grin crept onto Remus' full mouth. "That'll do it."  
  
Jamie took another look around the room. "This stuff looks more suited for a DADA teacher."  
  
"I am a DADA teacher." Remus winked at Jacy, who flushed and laid a hand on her tummy. Sirius just grinned. Widely.  
  
"But...the headmaster said she was..." Jamie bit her lip, feeling stupid.  
  
"Oh Moony! You've confused her." Jacy stepped forward." Remus is assisting me and will continue to do so until summer break. I'm Pregnant. When the term starts again after summer recess, then he'll be on full time with Sirius as his assistant."  
"Oh. How far along are you?"  
  
"About two months. I'm due in late June." Sirius stepped up behind Jacy, wrapping her tight in his arms. She should have looked like a child because of the height difference, but for some reason she didn't. Maybe it was because of the type of embrace.  
  
Sirius smiled. "And Harry's coming to stay with us this summer. Permanently. No more of those Damn muggles! They..."   
  
Jacy squeezed his hand and he stopped.  
  
Jamie's brow furrowed. "You don't like muggles?"  
  
Remus cleared his throat. "There's nothing wrong with muggles. It's just these particular muggles, Harry's aunt and uncle, the Dursleys."  
  
Jamie tilted her head. "What's so wrong with them? Surely they can't be that bad?"  
  
Sirius' face flushed and he stepped back from his wife. "Not that bad?! Do you have any idea what you're saying?"  
  
Jamie's face didn't change, she didn't even blink. "Obviously... I... don't. I wouldn't have asked other wise."  
  
"The made him sleep in the bloody closet under their stairs! Harry Potter! Petunia and..." Sirius broke off mid tirade. The look on the girl's face was one of pure shock that was turning into something akin to rage.   
  
"Petunia Dursley?" A quiet whisper.  
  
"Huh?" Remus' eyes bugged.  
  
"Petunia Dursley. Age 32. Tall, scare-a-crow looking bitch with dark hair and irritating voice? Kicked out of USAWW for attempting the Imperious curse on her younger cousin during their first year. Who had her magic stripped because of the afore mentioned act?" Jamie's hands were clenched into tight fists.  
  
"What?" Three pairs of eyes bugged. Well, Remus' just about popped out of his head...  
  
A bark of laughter escaped her. "They let Harry Potter stay with my cousin?"  
  
Remus looked at her hard. "Petunia Dursley is your cousin?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Sirius gaped. "Making Harry your cousin?"  
  
She quirked a brow. "I don't know about that. I only ever met one of Lucas Evans' daughters. Though it is possible. I suppose. You did say she was his aunt?"  
  
**********************  
  
Black eyes stared at the copy of the Daily Prophet before her.  
  
"Winners to Hogwarts Sweepstakes Announced! 'Aidan and Adrian Snipe arrived in England today after winning the sweepstakes. The winners will spend their junior year at Hogwarts. They are from United States Academy for Witches and Wizards. They are accompanied by their older sister Jamison Snipe who is reportedly a squib.'  
  
Below, there was a rather grotesque picture of the little brats smiling like buffoons and waving at the camera.  
  
Augusta Snape closed her eyes. There was no mistaking it. Despite all her work, they were going to get to her precious Severus. They were part muggle! That horrid woman! Sleeping with that blasted Evans while married to her dear, darling Salazar. Passing off those horrid mutts of her filthy lover's as her dear darling's.... she'd had to clear Severus' memory so he wouldn't have to deal with the fact that they were mud bloods. Well, she had to go now and clean up this mess. Those brats would disappear before they even got a chance to meet her baby. They'd pay. Trying to disrupt her life like this. Oh they'd pay! 


	3. Family Tree

Oh joy! I'm a bit worried that with the change on A/N policies that this would be considered a breach of them… so I'm changing it a bit. I'll try to get the next chapter up by new years, but I'm not guaranteeing anything. THIS IS PART OF THE STORY!   
  
The Snape Family Tree as Found in the Family Album:  
  
.......................................................................Dora M.Christof Evans  
  
................Augusta M. Lucifer Snape............... /....................... \  
  
............................\..............................Damon Evans..............Lucas Evans.   
  
..............................\......................./............\............................/.............\  
  
......................Salazar Snape M..Sara....... Richard...........Petunia....Lily M. James  
  
......................../............./...........\..........\...............................M. Vernon.............\  
  
.......................Severus Jamie Adrian Aidan................................/.....................Harry  
  
..............................................(Ray)......................................Dudley  
  
M. = Married  
  
Please ignore the......'s. I'm trying to get this to upload properly. 


	4. Meet the Snapes

Aidan sat stoically next to Ray and gazed at the hoards of students in front of them. They were staring and whispering at them and Ray was starting to wiggle in her seat.  
  
"Aid, they're making me nervous! It's freaking me out." Ray squeezed his shoulder and looked around him at Jamie, who was kicking her feet against the rungs of her chair.  
  
Jamie froze. "Don't worry Hun. They're just not used to us."  
  
The students quieted and their heads turned as one to the front of the Great Hall. Dumbledore smiled and raised a hand. "If you recall, at the beginning of this year, I promised you a surprise. I'd like to introduce Aidan, Adrian, and Jamison Snipe."  
  
Aidan turned to Jamie and mouthed "Snipe?" Jamie shrugged.  
  
Dumbledore motioned them forward. Aidan helped both Jamie and Ray from their seats and then made his way up behind them.  
  
Ray shook the hand Dumbledore offered. "Um... sir? Did you say Snipe?"  
  
Dumbledore opened his mouth, but before he could utter a word the doors to the Great Hall opened and an elderly woman made her way in, leaning on a cane. Dressed from head to toe in black, her face was barely wrinkled, and framed by snow white hair. She was stronger, more healthy than she looked, the cane was more for show than anything else. But it was her eyes that freaked Aidan out. Black, the only feeling that they held was hate. Pure hate.  
  
Aidan swallowed and stepped in front of Jamie and Ray.  
  
A blur of dark swirled from behind the teachers' table. A second later, the vile dude who had taken the 40 points from them earlier was at Dumbledore's side.  
  
"Augusta, to what do we owe this... pleasure?" No emotion showed in his voice, but his eyes flashed something.  
  
"Severus, I am here in protest. That those... Americans..." She spat the word, as if it were little more than filth, "Should be allowed to attend such a fine school as Hogwarts... is unthinkable!"  
  
The sound of running foot steps met Aidan's ears as a woman a little older than Jamie entered the hall. She slowed her steps and made her way to Augusta's side.  
  
"Madame, I'm sorry, but there's..." The woman flushed as Augusta raised a hand.  
  
"I thought I told you to wait by the carriage!" She sneered and Aidan could have sworn he'd seen her before.  
  
"I...I..." The woman stuttered.  
  
"Go now! Be off with you. Wait at the carriage this time, as you were told!"  
  
The woman was pale, with hair that was neither red nor brown, tightly pulled back in a bun that would have done McGonagal proud. She had a heart shaped face with high cheek bones, made to look higher by the bun. Aidan couldn't tell the color of her eyes.  
  
Her robes were fully buttoned, all the way up to her chin, and a non- descript gray color. The vile dude was staring at her.  
  
"Ms. St. James, I believe you were given an order."  
  
The woman jerked at the sound of Snape's voice and paled. Then her cheeks flushed. Quietly, and with as much dignity as she could manage, the woman made her way out of the hall.  
  
Ray cleared her throat. "And you think Americans are rude! Sheesh."  
  
Augusta turned to Ray. "Every American I have ever seen has been rude. Including you."  
  
Snape stepped between them. "Ms. Snipe, I suggest that you respect your elders."  
  
Jamie didn't like this guy was acting, so she stepped out from behind Aidan and get her first real look at the man over her sister.  
  
"Holy shit, sis!" Aidan took a hold of Jamie's arm. "You're as white as a ghost!"  
  
Snape looked at Aidan. "And you'll do well to leave to watch your language Mr. Snipe!"  
  
Ray lost it. "Are you people illiterate? It's SNAPE! S-N-A-P-E!" But she was drowned out by the excited talk amongst the students.  
  
Dumbledore stepped in. "That is enough! Severus, sit down and cool off! Augusta, I'm sorry, but this is neither the time nor the place for your protests."  
  
He turned to Ray. "What did you..."  
  
"Severus?" The quiet whisper came from Jamie, who was still being held up by Aidan.  
  
Severus turned. "What?!"  
  
Jamie pulled away from Aidan and launched herself at him. She was holding onto him and sobbing.  
  
"Madame, I suggest you remove yourself from my person." Snape's voice was like ice. "Immediately."  
  
Aidan pulled her away. "Sis, what are you doing?"  
  
Jamie would have none of it. She turned back to Severus. "How? Why? I..."  
  
Severus sneered. "Madame, I don't know who in the hell you think you are..."  
  
Jamie froze, pulling herself up, ram rod straight, her eyes flashing, her face mirroring Severus' sneer exactly. "My name is not 'Madame'. It's Jamison."  
  
Augusta gasped and tried to break in.  
  
"Lynora." The old woman was practically yelling now. "Snape."  
  
Severus blanched. His hands rose to his head as if he was in a great deal of pain and he wavered where he stood.  
  
Jacy stepped down from the teachers table and took a hold of his arm. Sirius and Remus followed. Remus pulled his wand. "Explain. Now."  
  
Jamie's cold bitch attitude was still firmly in place. And would be for several more hours. "Aid, Ray, I'd like you to meet the man we buried two and a half weeks ago."  
  
Aidan and Ray stood shocked, taking in the man who had caused them so much pain. A man legally dead, who stood before them, holding his head like a small child.  
  
Ray took a step forward. "You hid from your family?! Do you have any idea..." Her voice broke. She swallowed the sobs rising up her throat.  
  
Aidan pulled her to his side and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as Snape finally lowered his hands.  
  
His black eyes stared, shocked.  
  
Jamie sneered. "Sirius, realize who I look like yet?"  
  
Augusta made her way to Severus' side, rather quickly for a 'feeble old lady'. "Sev, darling! I had to! They're mutts! Look at them! They're filthy mud..."  
  
Severus turned his face to her, letting her see the raw emotion. Pain, anger... the raw animosity flowing off him in waves.  
  
"Sev..." She tried again but stopped.  
  
Snape stood and turned to Dumbledore, who was looking shocked for once. "I... will... be in my... chambers."  
  
Silence reigned.  
  
Ray looked at Aidan, and at Jamie. She didn't understand. Hadn't he hidden? Or had that witch spelled their memories away?  
  
Waves of power flowed off of Dumbledore. Students gasped. "Augusta... what did you say to me 11 years ago?"  
  
"Albus..."  
  
Jamie had had enough. "Aidan, Ray, we're going to our rooms. Now. I am leaving before I lose it."  
  
Aidan and Ray stared at her. Jamie had never lost it. So they followed her out of the room.  
  
"Albus, they're MUTTS! Filthy! That slut Sara, although married, slept with a muggle! I heard her talking on the phone. 'Well Rich, looks like you're going to have two more to dote on!"  
  
"Richard Evans was Sara Evans' brother!" Dumbledore turned to Remus. Take her to my office." He turned to Augusta. "Your wand?" He held out his hand.  
  
"You can't expect me to wander thought he halls of this place with a WEREWOLF unarmed!"  
  
Sirius stepped forward, looking rather evil. "what about a convicted murderer?"  
  
The woman handed over her wand and looked at Remus, who escorted her from the hall.  
  
Dumbledore looked at the students. "Enjoy your dinner." The food appeared but there was no noise in the Great Hall. 


	5. The Sorting

Ray yawned. This trip was NOT supposed to go this way. Jamie was still hiding in her room, Aidan was zoning while playing his guitar... and Ray? She'd read every book she'd brought with her. Including text books. So now, she was sitting here on the couch with her legs tucked up under her watching the flames. This totally bit ass.  
  
Severus hadn't even recognized them. At all. Not that she remembered all that much of him. What she missed was her opportunity. She hadn't had any choice. She had barely known her big brother. She definitely didn't know him now. Seriously. Greasy-Git-Batty-Boy? He was her brother? Aidan remembered him better than her, because he'd hero-worshiped him. And Jamie. Whoa was Jamie upset. And she didn't understand this any better than the they did.   
  
Ray slouched down and chewed her lip some more. How freakin' weird. And that old lady? Mutts? Sheesh. All Americans are rude... Well, the so called rude Americans were nothing compared to that... shrew.   
  
A knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts and she almost jumped for joy. No more thoughts that she didn't want to deal with right now.   
  
She stood and made her way over, knowing Aidan wouldn't hear and Jamie was... doing whatever Jamie was doing. Stretching, she pulled it open, not knowing who to expect.  
  
She didn't expect a tall red headed boy along with a just barely shorter messy black-haired one. And they were both good looking. Very. "Hi."  
  
They seemed to be gaping at her and Ray looked down to make sure she hadn't fallen out of her top or anything. Nope. The strings were still firmly laced, and her fly was fully zipped. "Can... I help you?"  
  
The boys snapped their mouths shut and the red haired one turned about the color of a tomato. The dark hair one swallowed and thrust his hand out. "I'm Harry Potter, and this is Ron Weasley. We're here because..."  
  
His voice trailed off. "Ay? Really? Hmm... I heard you went to Hogwarts. I'm Ray...Nice to meet you." Ray stuck out her hand and leaned towards him, whispering, "Is your friend mute or something?"  
  
Ron snapped himself out of it and shook her hand. "Sorry. I was thinking about... Potions. Yeah. We have a test tomorrow." Ray noticed his gaze kept drifting back to her top.  
  
"Potions? Hmm... can you tell me Mr. Weasley what I would get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"  
  
Harry and Ron looked at each other and took a step back.   
  
"Sorry. I'm a potions freak. My best subject. I actually helped teach it at USAWW."  
  
Harry laughed. "Snape....er... Severus Snape? He asked me that the first day of classes."  
  
Ray realized they were still standing in the hall and blushed. "Come on in... Sorry. You had a purpose in coming here?"  
  
"Yeah. Professor Dumbledore wanted you guys to come to his office to be sorted... We're your guides..." Ron looked around. "This is a lot different from our dorms."  
  
"Yeah? Our school wouldn't let us come unless we stayed with my sis..." She motioned to the couch. "Have a seat. I'll grab Aid and Jamie."  
  
The girl turned and walked to a door, which she knocked on loudly. The boys could tell why when the dude she'd been with when they interrupted potions opened it. Music poured through the door, loud and angry. He was shirtless and wearing black silk pajama pants low on his hips.   
  
Ron looked at Harry. "Remind me not to piss him off. He looks more built than Charlie!"   
  
"Aid, this is Ron, and that's Harry. Dumbledore sent them to take us to his office so we could get sorted." She leaned against the door frame.  
  
Aidan stretched and scratched his abdomen, bringing notice to the tattoo there. A red dragon was blowing a ring of fire around his navel. "Oh? Hi." He turned his dark eyes to them. "Which houses are you two in?"  
  
Ron swallowed. "We're both in Gryffindor."  
  
Aidan yawned. "Godric Gryffindor founded that one right? Well duh. That was stupid. Gryffindor... Gryffindor. My only excuse is I've been zoning since dinner."  
  
Harry nodded. "Understandable."  
  
Ray smiled. "But it is nice to know he isn't dead... we buried an empty coffin with his name on it two weeks before coming here."  
  
Aidan threw an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him. "Yeah. But Jamie... Whew. I've never seen her like that."  
  
"We'll talk later Aid. The Headmaster is waiting on us. Get dressed while I grab Jamie." Ray pushed him back into his room and winked at the boys. "Isn't he just a big pussy cat?"  
  
The boys laughed. And watched as she went to the door on the other side of the room. "He looks like a beater." said Harry.  
  
"Yup. Aid and I kick some bludger butt!" She knocked on the door.  
  
Ron sat forward. "But you're a girl!"  
  
Harry winced and sat back in his seat.   
  
"Yeah, I have the required female body parts, however, I could still kick your ass." She glared. If looks could kill, Ron would be a steaming pile of Ron ooze on the floor.  
  
Jamie finally opened the door. Her eyes were red and her nose was puffy. And she was wearing one of Aidan's old t-shirts. That's it. "Yeah?"  
  
Ray blocked her sister's body with her own. "We have company."  
  
Jamie looked around Ray and blushed. "Whoops. Sorry boys." She stepped back and pulled her sister into the room. Then she shut the door. "Okay what'd you need?"  
  
Ray smiled. "Harry and Ron came here. They're supposed to take us to be sorted. I thought you might like to come..."  
  
Jamie cupped her sister's face. "Of course. I wouldn't miss it."  
  
Ray grinned, and looked pointedly at her sister's attire. "Perhaps you should change."  
  
"What, you don't think the headmaster would like this?" The girls laughed. Jamie flicked her sister on her shoulder and turned Ray until she was facing the door. "Now go and flirt with those two... just don't let Aid see, or he'll have them up a tree."  
  
Ray turned bright pink, knowing they had to have heard through the door. "Shut up!"  
  
Jamie just grinned while she opened the door and pushed her out.  
  
Ray stood there looking at the floor. When she looked up, Ron and Harry were grinning like idiots.  
  
She shrugged. "Sorry guys, I think she has selective Tourettes."   
  
Ron looked puzzled, but Harry chuckled.  
  
Aidan opened his door and gave a rather evil grin. "Yeah? The main reason Ray wanted to come here was all the, and this is a direct quote, "Yummy Accents."   
  
He ducked as Ray threw a couch pillow at his head. "Bite me Aidan."  
  
"Nah, You'd give me food poisoning." He held out his arms and spun around. "How do I look?"  
  
Ripped jeans, a black t-shirt, and his leather jacket. "Normal." She raised an eyebrow. "Why?"  
  
Aidan pulled a leather strip out and began to tie his hair back. "I didn't want to look too dressed up."  
  
Jamie opened the door to her room and stepped out wearing jeans and a t-shirt. She waved at the to boys she didn't know. "Sorry about that. I didn't know anyone was here."  
  
Harry stood. "That's fine. We'd better go. The Headmaster will be expecting us."  
  
Ray yawned. "Sorry. Okay, let's hit the road Jack."  
  
Ron looked puzzled. "But his name is Harry."  
  
Aidan smirked. "It's a saying. It means let's get going."  
  
Ron blushed. "Oh."  
  
**********  
  
Dumbledore sat at his desk, stroking Fawkes, who was perched on the arm of his chair.  
  
The heads of the houses were present, seated off to one side of the room.  
  
Snape was looking even more pale than usual. Augusta had confessed to erasing his siblings from his memory, then lying. Severus was understandably angry. Augusta had been the main reason Severus had become a death eater. She'd pushed him, manipulated him into her beliefs. The woman herself had been an un-official death eater.  
  
Dumbledore had told him he did have to come to this sorting, but Severus was here none the less.  
  
A knock on the door made them all jump, and Prof. Sprout quickly opened it.  
  
Draco Malfoy stepped in followed by Ginny Weasley.  
  
Draco looked around and raised an eyebrow. "Professors, sorry to interrupt, but my father sent me an owl to give to you Prof. Dumbledore."  
  
The Headmaster motioned them forward." Quite alright. We're just waiting. We're going to be sorting the exchange students when they show.  
  
Draco set the owl on the desk where it hopped over to Dumbledore and extended its scaly leg. The Headmaster to the letter and broke the traditional Malfoy seal.   
  
Ginny twitched as she watched the Headmaster read. She was the only one in the room that was moving and that bugged her. Then she noticed the look on the headmasters face. He slowly lowered the letter. Shock, confusion, and anger warred to be expressed.  
  
Draco paled. "Sir, whatever my father has done this time, I apologize."  
  
Dumbledore pinched the bridge of his nose. "Don't be sorry. Draco, Ginny, I'd like to talk to you after the sorting. Will you please sit?" He conjured up two chairs near the table where the other professors were sitting.  
  
Draco looked at Ginny, who tried to smiled and nodded. As they took their seats, there was another knock at the door.  
  
Again Prof. Sprout opened it and this time Ron Weasley, Harry Potter, and the rest of the Snapes came in.  
  
Jamie, Ray, and Aidan hovered near the door, taking in the scene.  
  
When Ray saw Draco she nudged her brother. "Hey Aid, look who it is." She looked at Draco and shook her head. "Thanks for the directions, but we still got lost."  
  
Draco stood and shook her hand. "I'm Draco Malfoy, and this is my girlfriend, Ginny." He nodded at Ron. "That git's sister."  
  
Ron glared. "Watch it Malfoy."  
  
Snape stood, slamming his chair back against the wall. "It occurs to me that you are ignoring the purpose of this meeting. To be sorted, not to stand around and exchange pleasantries."  
  
Aidan went to step forward but Jamie's arm stopped him. "It occurs to me," She paused and drawled in a mock sweet voice, "my dear Severus, that you need to take two Midol and get over it!" She yelled the last bit and a glass of water in front of him shattered.  
  
"Now, please calm down. Really." Dumbledore stood and motioned to the chairs causing Fawkes to fly to his perch. "Now will everyone." He looked Severus straight in the eye. "Please sit down, and we'll discuss some things."  
  
Jamie, Ray, and Aidan sat down in unison and stared straight into the headmasters eyes.   
  
Ron and Harry stood quietly looking at each other, silently asking if they should leave.  
  
"Ron, Harry, please sit next to Ginny and Draco." Dumbledore took the sorting hat down from a shelf behind his desk. "This is the hat of Godric Gryffindor. The sorting hat."  
  
Ray looked confused. "We aren't taking some sort of test?"  
  
"No, no my dear." Dumbledore noticed Snape sulking from the corner of his eye. "We simply place the sorting hat on your head and it will place you in one of the four houses."  
  
Mcgonagal stood. "Gryffindor."  
  
Sprout stood. "Hufflepuff."  
  
Severus stayed seated and glared. "Slytherin."  
  
Professor Flitwick stood (on his seat) and glared down his nose at him. "And Ravenclaw."  
  
They sat and Snape yawned insolently.  
  
Dumbledore looked at Ray. "Would you like to go first?"  
  
She shrugged. "What the he... era."  
  
"Does that mean yes?" Dumbledore eyes twinkled.  
  
Ray smiled at the headmaster. "Yes it does." She motioned to her head. "Put're on me."  
  
Dumbledore placed the hat on her head and sat back behind his desk. The first time the hat moved to speak, Ray shrieked. "What the hell?!"   
  
She went to yank it off but stopped when a voice spoke into her ear. "Calm down. I suppose they didn't mention that I talk? You're a 6th year?"  
  
She nodded. "Yup."  
  
"Ah. And a Snape as well. Well, I say you'll do well in the house of your brother. Slytherin!" The hat finished and Dumbledore removed it. Draco cheered and glared when Snape didn't even bat a lash at his sister's placement.  
  
"Sorry, but next time, mention that the friggin' thing moves! I almost pissed myself." She gave Draco a thumbs up.  
  
Jamie hugged her sister. "Congratulations."  
  
Aidan poked her in the side. "Brat! You just liked the colors!"  
  
Ray stuck her tongue out at him. "Did not!"  
  
Dumbledore chuckled and placed the hat on Aidan's head, then went to sit down, but he stopped. "Oh, by the way, the hat talks."  
  
Aidan winked at his sisters. The hat moved and Ray could tell it was talking with him, but the only word she heard was "Gryffindor!"  
  
All the Gryffindors in the room clapped. Aidan took the hat off and bowed deeply.   
  
Snape glared at Mcgonagal. "Did I forget to mention that I took twenty points from him earlier today for rudely interrupting my class?"  
  
Ray snorted and waved. "Hola? Senor de los Cranky Pants? You took twenty points off me too."  
  
Snape glared at her. "Don't think that because you might be my sister that I won't take points from you."  
  
Jamie glared at him. "Might? Hmm... let's talk about the birthmark on your as... butt then. Huh? The one that's shaped like a teddy bear? Or about the scar on your knee where I pushed you. Or wait! Even better, the tattoo you got at fifteen with the fake ID over summer break. You know, the fancy SS between you shoulder blades?"  
  
Snape stared at her, his hand rising to his back. He swallowed hard.  
  
Jamie swallowed too. "you may not remember me...us... But I remember you, and I shared all that I could recall with them. And whether you want to believe or not, Aidan, Ray, and I are your siblings." She sat back down.  
  
Dumbledore was at a loss for words. He cleared his throat. "Well, I think we're done here. Your houses will be announced tomorrow at breakfast." He turned to Draco. "Now, the letter you father sent me..."  
  
*Fade to black* 


	6. Wesley and Buttercup

Draco wasn't at breakfast the next morning, and Ginny... well, Ginny hadn't even touched the food her friends had piled in front of her. Her eyes were red and swollen. She didn't even blink.   
  
Ron sat back in his chair, finished with his breakfast. "Gin, what's wrong?"  
  
Hermione looked up at him from her book. "Ron, I think she might want to be alone... or something. If she wants to talk, she'll let us know..." Poor Ron had been trying to get her to talk for a half an hour, with out any sort of response at all.  
  
Harry plopped himself down next to Hermione, wearing his sweaty Quidditch robes.   
"'Morning. 'Sup?" he asked as he grabbed a piece of toast and stuffed it in his mouth.  
  
Hermione stared. Harry froze and looked down at himself. Seeing nothing, he mumbled with his mouth half full. "What?"  
  
Hermione pulled the corners of her mouth down, in something that wasn't a frown, but isn't named to the author's knowledge. "Nothing..." She went back to reading.  
  
Ron was lost in concerned thoughts of his sister.  
  
Ray sauntered over to where Ginny and Co. were sitting. "Morning guys. What's up?"  
  
Ginny shrugged. Ron and Harry said together, "Nothing."  
  
"Well jeez. Don't ya'll have coffee over here?" Ray lifted a brow and Hermione finally looked up from her book.   
  
"Huh?"  
  
Ray shook her head. "Noth..."The word ended in a shriek. Aidan had snuck up behind her and attempted to put her in a headlock but she managed to flip him.  
  
Aidan landed flat on his back but flipped to his feet. "Morning Sis." He slipped to a boxer's stance.  
  
"You pig! I was trying to have a conversation!" She glared and pulled up her jeans.  
  
"Aw Sis, I was just going to introduce Fred..." She punched him in the stomach.  
  
"I don't care if you were going to introduce the dudes who made the ton tongue toffees I slipped into your coffee last month!" Aidan went to grab her around her waist, but she dodged and pushed him... right into the lap of a small Slytherin girl. The glass of juice she'd been about to sip promptly spilled down the front of her school robes.  
  
Her pale face paled even more and she looked down. Aidan winced. "Whoops? Sorry..."  
  
The girl grimaced. A six foot four 17-year-old boy on the lap of a girl who was at least a foot shorter. "Ow."  
  
Aidan realized he must be crushing her and stood quickly. When he looked down at her he saw how tiny she really was. "Are you okay?"  
  
The girl smiled a bit. "Yeah... I'm okay."  
  
Ray stepped over. "Sorry, That's just a thing of ours... it's just messing around. I'm Ray."   
  
The girl stood extended her hand. "I'm Blaise." Her reddish blonde hair fell in gentle waves just past her shoulders.   
  
Her eyes were a startling blue and Aidan found himself caught in them. "I'm Aidan..."   
  
A tall red- headed boy with lanky muscles stepped up behind him. "Hey Blaise."   
  
"Hey Fred?" She seemed unsure of his name.   
  
"Yup. George is of with Katie somewhere." He made a vague motion with his hand and then turned to Ray. "Now what did you say about Ton Tongue Toffees?"  
  
Ray grinned wickedly. "I ordered some from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes... the joke catalogue? And I slipped 'em into Aid's coffee. Quite funny..."  
  
People around her started to laugh, and Fred was hugging his middle. "What?" She put her hands on her hips and glared down her nose at them, even though she was a good bit shorter.  
  
Fred stuck out his hand. "Perhaps I should introduce myself. I'm Fred Weasley."  
  
Ray's mouth dropped open. "No... NO FREAKIN' WAY!" She grabbed Fred's arm and started talking excitedly. "I have so many ideas... and you're going to listen..."  
  
She looked up at him with puppy eyes. "Whether or not you want to."   
  
Aidan laughed. "I warned you Fred!"   
  
Blaise looked at him. "Is she always like that?"  
  
Aidan laughed. "Nope. Normally, she's worse..."  
  
Ray turned and glared at him over her shoulder before turning towards Blaise... "I'm perfectly sweet and innocent... don't listen to a word he says..."  
  
Blaise rolled her eyes. "Real....ly..."  
  
************************  
  
Jamison stood outside the great hall, picking at the nail on her left thumb. Yeah. Life was certainly quite interesting. Brother back from the dead... yeah.   
  
"Hey." Jamie whirled around and stared at Remus who smirked.  
  
"Hey." She chewed her lips and furrowed her brow in deep thought.  
  
He nodded at the door. "You do realize that if you take a step closer the doors will open automatically... you don't have to worry about the whole push-pull thing..."   
  
Jamie glared. It wasn't her full angry glare, and Remus only smiled. "Real...ly..." She lifted a brow. "I don't suppose you've ever buried you brother and then gone to a foreign country only to find him alive and extremely PMS-y?"  
  
Remus looked puzzled. "PMS-y?"  
  
"Er... never mind. Cranky, pissy, rude?"  
  
He tilted his head. "Nope, don't suppose I have. He's not all that bad. I promise."  
  
Jamie gave him a disbelieving look. "Uh...huh. Sure. And I suppose he sleeps with a teddy...bear." She added as an after thought.  
  
Remus laughed and took her elbow. "Come on. I'm hungry and I'm not going to leave you to try to stare a hole through the door."  
  
****************************  
  
Severus watched stoically from his seat as those who claimed to be his siblings mingled with the other students. Augusta had lied. His entire life. He could only begin to imagine what they must have gone through. If it was true. He cursed himself. He was starting to believe them. Damn it! He didn't want to believe it. His entire life could have been different. He wouldn't have stayed with Augusta as she pushed him to become something he hated. But shoulda coulda wouldas weren't going to help him now. He had family. And he had the strangest feeling that they would have welcomed him with open arms had he not acted like he had taught himself to. He'd learned it as a defense. It made people stay away. And when no one was close to him, The Dark Lord had no one to black mail him with. He couldn't get hurt.   
  
He swirled his goblet of juice in front of him. That person was not him. He hoped. It had been so long. He'd forgotten himself.   
  
Someone cleared their throat behind him and he turned to see the older one... Jamie? Was that her name? She opened her mouth, closed it, then swallowed. Hard.  
  
Remus Lupin stood behind her, looking far too decent, civilized for what he was. Severus nonchalantly raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"  
  
Fire lit her eyes and her hands clenched. "I wanted to apologize for my behavior yesterday. However..."  
  
He leaned towards her. "However what? Hm?" He looked like he was going to go on but she held up a hand. Severus winced. Maybe he could lay off wearing his normal sneer around her....  
  
"I do not suggest antagonizing me. I may not be a trained witch but if you piss me off much more, brother-back-from-the-dead or not, I'll break my foot off in your ass." She practically hissed. "Got it? And if you say one thing wrong to Aidan or Ray I will put your balls in a blender."  
  
The entire staff stared, along with the students within hearing distance. Remus winced and shifted. Ow... He wasn't sure what a blender was, but it sounded rather painful...  
  
Severus appeared shocked. Blender? He wasn't going to ask. She turned to leave and he watched as his hand reached out of it's own accord and grabbed her wrist.  
  
She turned but didn't speak. "I am sorry. We have much to talk of..." He glanced at Aidan and Ray who were making heir way towards them. "I want... need to know your side of this story..."  
  
Instantly she looked contrite. "I am sorry. I haven't tried to think of your side in this properly at all. I'm afraid I'm acting like a..."She broke off. "Perhaps we could speak after supper? Aidan and Ray are..."  
  
Severus nodded and released her wrist.  
  
She looked up to see Harry Potter approaching the table followed by Sirius and Jacy Black. And they were heading straight at her. She swallowed. They couldn't be walking towards her. It had no purpose. They had no reason... oh. Yeah. The cousin bit.   
  
They stopped in front of them and Sirius spoke. "Good morning. Would you follow us? There's a room just off the hall where we can have some privacy..."  
  
Aidan and Ray appeared next to them. Ray poked Harry in the shoulder. "Hey."  
  
Harry grinned. "Hey you. How are you?"  
  
Ray ignored the frustrated look on Sirius' face. "Just peachy." She turned to face her sister. "You forget your Midol?"  
  
Jamie blushed and made a shushing motion at her.   
  
"Jamie, we don't have a lot of time to talk..." Jacy looked at the door leading off the Great Hall.  
  
Jamie looked at Aidan and Ray. "They come too."  
  
Sirius looked like he was going to protest, but then nodded.  
  
************  
Harry stepped into the small room, taking in the familiar atmosphere. His memory flashed Cedric. He felt someone's hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Harry?" Sirius' voice.  
  
Harry blinked and his god father's face came into focus. "Sorry."  
  
The Snape's stood on the other side of the room, talking quietly. The memory Eased back and once again he was able to focus on the present.  
  
"Harry, are you okay?" Jacy touched his face, looking him over as a concerned mother might.  
  
"This... this was where they..." He swallowed. "Took us before the Triwizard tournament."  
  
Sirius looked a mixture of emotions, sadness, guilt, and anger. "We can go somewhere else."  
  
Ray stepped up. "Harry, I forgot to say this when I first met you..." she took a deep breath. "Thank you. I know you didn't get a choice in any of this and so much has been taken from you. Thank you."  
  
Harry appeared shocked. He couldn't remember any one ever thanking him. Coming near to practically worship him, yes, but thanks? No. Never. "You're... welcome."  
  
Jamie stepped u with Aidan behind her. "Harry if you're okay, I'd like to tell you something. I want you to know that I didn't know about it until I met..." She broke off and motioned towards Sirius and Jacy.  
  
Harry nodded warily. "Yeah?"  
  
Aidan and Ray looked at each other. Jamie had told them while Harry was fazed out.  
  
"I think I might be your cousin." She said this slowly, then appeared shocked because she'd actually said it.  
  
"What? How? Huh?" Harry looked extremely confused.  
  
"My mother was Sara Evans. She had two cousins... Lily and Petunia Evans. I never met Lily, but Petunia went to USAWW, at least for a little while."  
  
Harry interrupted. "She couldn't have! She's a muggle."  
  
"Petunia tried to put me under the Imperius Curse. I told the Headmaster and her magic was stripped from her." She swallowed. "If it's the same Petunia Evans. Evans is a pretty........ But I'm pretty sure it is..." Jamie looked at Harry, worried about his reaction.  
  
Harry hesitated, then hugged her. Jamie jumped in surprise but threw her arms around him just the same.  
  
"Group hug!" Ray grabbed onto Harry and pulled everyone else in.   
  
Harry started to laugh but stopped. H poked his head up threw the many limbs of the people hugging, looking a bit green.  
  
"This means I'm related to Snape doesn't it?"  
  
Jamie grinned. "You're related to 4 Snapes now."  
  
Harry moaned.  
  
*Fade to Black*  
  
Ginny stared at Draco. She couldn't believe what the git Lucius had done. She'd box him up side his ears given half the chance. Disinheriting Draco because he was involved with her. He sat across from her in the library seemingly engrossed in his potions homework.  
  
How could he be so calm about this? He acted like it didn't matter.  
  
"Gin, the staring is starting to bug me."   
  
Ginny jumped and stammered. "S...sorry."  
  
"It's okay, I'm just trying to concentrate and you're rather distracting." Draco brushed a knuckle down her cheek and smiled a bit.  
  
"Draco... I love you." She hadn't told him before. His mouth dropped open and he stared.  
  
Oh great. She shouldn't have told him. Now he would hate her. He didn't feel the same.  
  
She felt her eyes fill with tears and she stood to leave.  
  
The next thing she knew, she was in Draco's arms, and being kissed so sweetly it brought even more tears to her eyes.  
  
His lips molded hers, his hand tangling in her hair, pulling her further into him.  
  
He pulled back gently after a while and a few tears escaped flowing down the creamy contours of her cheeks. He licked his thumbs and brushed them away. She could feel the calluses he got from Quidditch.  
  
He looked into her eyes, the silver of his own looked a bit wet. His voice was husky and low, "No one's ever told me that..."  
  
She reached up and held his hands to her face. "It's true... I do love you."  
  
Draco smiled a little. "I know. And I love you too."  
  
They kissed again, so sweetly, rather like Wesley and Buttercup.  
  
*fade to Black* 


	7. The Talk

Hey guys! This was a hard chapter to write... trust me, and yes Sevvie poo is out of character, but this is my fic, and he's MY little puppet until I'm done with him! *Evil laughter.* I do not own Harry Potter... yeah...   
By the way, Augusta is a 'witch' you might want to replace the W with a B. I am an American, so no, I don't agree with Augusta's opinion of America.  
  
Review please.   
  
Story.....  
Severus stood in front of the door that led into his 'new' siblings' chambers. Facing evil dark lords? No problem. Flooing to Malfoy Manor and beating the hell out of Lucius Malfoy for disinheriting a boy he considered a son? No problem. Face 3 strangers claiming to be his siblings? Terrifying.  
  
He raised a shaking hand and knocked on the door.  
  
Jamie pulled the brush through her hair a final time and ran to the door. "Hey."  
  
His face was impassive. He didn't seem to know what to say. "Hello."  
  
"Yeah... come in..." She grabbed his hand and pulled him in.  
  
Severus stared and shuffled behind her. Even shuffling his robes billowed.  
  
Aidan and Ray sprawled out on the couch. Ray was sitting Indian style leaning back into the corner and hugging a couch pillow to her chest in her ripped jeans and worn t-shirt.  
  
Aidan had his foot propped up on the coffee table; the other was bent at the knee, his foot on the couch between Ray and himself. His arm was thrown along the back of the couch. His hair was down about his shoulders. He'd changed into black silk sleepy pants and a white wife beater tank, making it obvious the kid exercised regularly. He was barefoot, as he hated shoes.   
  
Severus was staring at him. It was like a slightly altered picture of himself. He didn't have the tribal looking armband tattoo, and his hair was a bit shorter than the teenager's, but they had the same aquiline nose, pale skin and dark eyes.   
  
Severus' gaze turned to Ray, taking in the purple and black hair, her pale skin and dark eyes. She had a feminine version of his own. She met his gaze, considered him, and then grinned.  
  
"He looks just like you Aid! Its kind of scary."  
  
"Yeah." Aidan stood, extending his hand to Severus. "I don't believe we've been properly introduced. I'm Aidan."  
  
Severus firmly clasped his hand. "Severus Sn..." He broke off. "I'm Severus."  
  
Ray laughed, but she stayed seated. "I was going to say, the Snape bit was rather obvious. I'm Adrian. Call me Ray." She furrowed her brow. "Or did we already introduce ourselves when we interrupted your class?" She frowned, and then smiled. "Whatever."  
  
Jamie motioned to an armchair. "Have a seat."  
  
Severus sat and did an incredible impression of a statue. Silence reigned and Aidan plopped back down in a position similar to the one he had before.   
  
Jamie could only take the silence for a minute before she clapped her hands. Everyone jumped.  
  
Ray shrieked. "Jeez! Scare the hell out of me why don't ya?"  
  
Jamie grinned. "Because I already did..." She turned to Severus. I was going to ask you if you had any pictures of your parents." She motioned to the albums on the coffee table in front of Aidan's foot.   
  
Severus blinked and nodded slightly. "Yes. I do." He swallowed. "They're in my chambers."  
  
Jamie grabbed the albums and turned to lug the other chair closer so they both could look.  
  
Severus watched far the first three ineffective tugs before he pulled his wand from the folds of his robes and summoned the chair closer.  
  
Jamie stared. "Thanks." She plopped down and opened the top album, holding it between them.  
  
The first picture was of a happy couple, both with midnight hair. The woman's eyes were honey colored, the same color as Jamie's, while the man's were black as midnight.. These were mostly muggle pictures, unmoving, but it was obvious that this couple was their parents, as obvious as the love flowing between them.  
  
He turned page after page in the album. Jamie handed him the next album, which appeared to be a baby book.  
  
Jamie tapped the book lightly on the cover, "I thought you might want to see this."  
  
Ray and Aidan sat quietly taking in the look of wonderment when he realized that he was looking at his own baby book.  
  
The other albums contained pictures of them all. Some candid, others professional, but Severus felt the lump grow in his throat with each turn of the page. These people were his family. Something he had been robbed of before.  
  
Finally he came to the last page. It was a muggle photo like many of the others.   
  
It was himself looking much younger, about 16, standing behind an equally somber   
  
Jamie who looked about 13. In front of her stood the twins; both with tear streaks down their faces. They all wore black and wounded looks on their faces.  
  
Jamie smiled sadly. "That's the last picture we have of you. It was right after their funeral..."  
  
Severus ran his fingers lightly over the faces in the pictures. "I never... knew."  
  
Ray sat up. "So who's that chick? Augusta?"  
  
Severus looked up startled. He'd forgotten they were there. "My... our Grandmother. Our father's mother."  
  
Jamie looked somewhat wounded. "But... Why'd she take just you?"  
  
Severus looked at her closely. There was no denying it. These were his siblings. "She claimed that you weren't related to her. That your father was a muggle. Dumbledore said it was our mother's brother... She thought you would dirty me or something."  
  
Ray looked saddened. "That's not what you think is it?"  
  
Severus paused giving his reply thought. "No. I don't. We have the same blood flowing through our veins."  
  
Aidan spoke for the first time. "What's with the cranky attitude?"  
  
Severus smiled a bit. He really did remind him of himself. "It's a defense I learned. I didn't have much choice. Augusta pushed me..." He swallowed. "To become a death eater." He rolled back his sleeve showing them the mark, which had faded greatly since Voldemort's defeat.  
  
He waited for the looks of horror and fear people showed when they saw the mark.  
  
They said nothing. He stared.  
  
Ray watched him for a minute before she grinned. "You thought we'd ditch you because you have a tattoo and a story to go with it? Yeah, it's a bit icky and such, but you're in. We love you. You're our brother. If you don't like it, deal."  
  
They talked some more, each person sharing a bit about themselves. When Severus heard Ray had a thing for potions, his face lit, and he began to quiz her.  
  
"How does one make a Boil cure potion?"  
  
She responded quickly and without thought. "Dried nettles, crushed snake fangs, stewed horned slugs, and porcupine quills added after taking the cauldron off the fire."  
  
He tried a different tactic. "Shrinking solution?"  
  
She smirked. "Chopped daisy roots, skinned shrivelfig, sliced caterpillar, one rat spleen, and a dash of leech juice"  
  
He tried again. "Wit-Sharpening potion?"  
  
"At least try to make them hard! Ground scarab beetle, cut up ginger root and armadillo bile "  
  
He was determined to mess her up. "Draught of the Living Death?"  
  
She smirked. "Asphodel in an infusion of wormwood."  
  
An evil look came over his face as he found a potion he was sure would stump her. "Polyjuice potion?"  
  
She yawned. "Lacewing flies stewed 21 days, leeches, powdered bicorn horn, knotgrass, fluxweed picked at full moon, boomslang skin, and a bit of whomever you wish to turn into."  
  
Finally they looked at each other and laughed.  
  
Aidan held up a finger. "James (Nick name for Jamie), we forgot to tell Sev here."   
  
"What?" She looked puzzled.  
  
Severus realized he was laughing and froze in shock. "Excuse me?"  
  
With an unholy grin stretched across his face, Aidan replied, "Our cousin."  
  
Severus straightened his already perfect posture. "Who?"  
  
"Our cousin. I believe he's a student of yours?" Jamie and Ray started smirking right along with him. (WARNING: Smirking Snapes are NOT a good sign.)  
  
"Sara Evans was cousin to Lily and Petunia Evans." Aidan watched with wicked glee as Severus paled.  
  
"I'm related to Harry Potter?"  
  
Ray snickered. "He said something similar."  
  
*Fade to Black*  
  
Caryn waited patiently outside Severus' chambers to deliver the letter from Augusta. She squirmed. She was sitting under the entrance portrait; one of a former potions master, and sucking thoughtfully on the blood pop the head master had been kind enough to give her.  
  
Severus must be happy to discover he had family besides Augusta. For years, since he'd first came to Snape manor, he'd been alone except for an old woman and her servants. Caryn had been the only person near his age. They didn't become friends though for two reasons. A: Augusta didn't want him associating with her because of her family history and B: because he hated her for some reason unknown to her. He just upset her sometimes. The Snapes... well Augusta and Severus she corrected, were the only people with that ability.  
  
"What are you doing here?" His voice sounded from the shadows, making her jump and gasp. As she did so a bit of the flavoring from her blood pop went into her airway, sending her into a coughing fit that sent the offending lolly flying. She rolled to her knees.  
  
Severus stepped into the torch light, wearing his trademark sneer, observing her in silence.  
  
Caryn's hands rose to her throat as her coughing finally stopped. "You! My... You scared me!"  
  
If anything the look on his face grew colder. "I repeat. What are you doing here?"  
  
Caryn picked up her blood pop and studied the dust on it with distaste. Five-second rule SO did not apply. She pushed her way to her feet and pulled the letter from her pocket. Silently she handed it to him.  
  
Severus studied it with distaste before opening and reading it. "Why couldn't she have sent this by owl?"  
  
Caryn ignored the open animosity in his eyes. Her owl got hit by a bludger."  
  
He raised a cynical brow. "A bludger?"  
  
"When your Quidditch team was practicing I do believe." Caryn felt something inside her tremble.  
  
He stared straight into her eyes. "Give Augusta a message." In sure decisive motions he tore up the letter and let it fall to the floor.  
  
Caryn was shocked. She hadn't known the contents of the letter but if she took a message like that back to he manor... "I can't give her a message like that!"  
  
"I didn't ask you to. It was an order." He drawled and Caryn shrunk back from the anger in his eyes.  
  
"Pick them up," he pointed to the torn letter.  
  
"I..." She couldn't finish.  
  
"Now!" Caryn hated herself for it, but her father's face replaced his and she dropped to her knees. She didn't want to feel the whip should she disobey. Her hands shook as she gathered the bits of paper.  
  
Severus saw the fear in her eyes and his lip curled in disgust. "Get out of my dungeons!"  
  
The blood pop fell from her hand as she all but ran from his presence. 


	8. Razor

A/N I honestly thought I had uploaded this chapter. Sorry. Anywho, Read and review.  
Anger was burning inside of her, threatening to explode, to shatter her. She had to take the pressure off... it hurt... She could feel the anger; the self-loathing stretching her skin until she thought it would tear.  
The razor glinted in the sun as she lifted it. She was supposed to clean them, to polish them, but they felt cool to her hot hands. She pressed the blade against her face, feeling the coolness. She rubbed it down her arms, feeling it cool her skin.  
She pressed down, wanting it to become part of her. She jumped when the razor pricked her skin. Red droplets welled, running like tears down her forearms.  
The blood cooled her anger; she didn't feel ready to explode. She watched the blood run. It calmed her, reminding her of her mothers tears. Her mother's tears had been of blood, but she had never thought it odd. Her father would yell when her mother cried and when she was bad he'd whip her. He never cried but his eyes would glow a brilliant red, like hellfire, and his ugly face would come out.  
If only she'd been a better girl. Mommy wouldn't have left and Daddy...  
Pain expanded in her chest and she once again filled with self-loathing.   
He scared her. A sob escaped her throat and the pain in her chest expanded.  
She looked down at the blood running down her arm and pressed the blade to her skin. Cool tears of blood wept from the wound and again the pain eased.  
"Girl!"  
Caryn jumped and dropped the razor, staring at it in horror. She'd cut... She'd always resisted the temptation before.   
The floor was splattered with blood. She swallowed and pulled her mother's wand from her apron pocket.  
"Girl!"   
She jumped again. "C...coming!"  
She whispered a quick cleaning spell and the floor was clean. Her arm on the other hand, was still bleeding. She wrapped it tightly in one of the scrap cloths she had intended to clean the razors with and pulled her sleeve down before opening the door.  
When she reached Augusta's chambers, Caryn knocked quietly.   
Augusta called strongly for her to enter.   
Caryn eased the door open and stepped into the room.  
Augusta sat regally in an antique armchair. "What kept you?"  
"I was cleaning ma'am." Caryn stood with her hands folded in front of her, looking at her feet.  
"I told you to bring me a response from my grandson girl." Venom flowed with every syllable from her lips.  
"I did Ma'am. I..."   
"I wanted a letter from Severus." Augusta leaned back in her chair, fondling the head of her ever-present cane. "I bet you didn't even talk to him... I bet you tore up that letter and lied to me." she seemed to be speaking to herself instead of Caryn.  
"Ma'am, you have my word..." Yet again she was interrupted.  
"What's your word worth? Nothing!" She pointed to the door dramatically. "I want you out of my house! I refuse to allow a cheating, lying little brat like you in my house!"  
Caryn looked up. The look Augusta was giving her was one of utter loathing She was being thrown out of the only home she'd ever known. "Yes Ma'am."  
Caryn walked quietly to the door and went to her rooms. In less than half an hour, her belongings were packed and she was heading to the front door. As she shut the door behind her, a smile came to her lips. Stupid woman. Her families' debt paid, Caryn was free to do anything she pleased. She was free to be herself. 


	9. Lost

Remus sat at his desk of the three that now occupied the front of the DADA classroom. He was supposed to be grading papers while Jacy and Sirius taught Harry's class, but he had stopped, quill in hand. His lips twitched in amusement. The students sat there with their mouths open... well Harry, Draco, Hermione, and Ron were snickering.   
  
Jacy had been about to show students the proper way to defend oneself against a Bicorn until one could get help or formulate a counter attack. The Bicorn in front of her was merely a tangible illusion. It was incapable of hurting her, though it would respond to spells almost exactly like a true Bicorn. When she had reached the counter attack part, Sirius had caught carefully about the waist and being mindful of the baby, set her behind him. The poor guy then attempted to take over Jacy's carefully planned lesson. Jacy had tapped him on the shoulder, her violet eyes flashing. Now they were deeply involved in a row... and entertaining the class quite well.  
  
Remus stood, pushing back his chair and clapped. As he expected, Jacy and Sirius ignored him, but at least he had the attention of the class. "I realize that Prof. Black had intended you to learn of the Bicorn through a practical lesson. However, the Bicorn is only tangible to her. Perhaps one of you would be so kind as to read the passage on Bicorns in your text book on page 784?"   
  
For once, Hermione's hand wasn't the first in the air. Jamie's little brother Aidan's was. "Aidan?"  
  
Hermione glared at him but Ray, who sat in the back of the classroom, gave a supportive whoop.  
  
Aidan stood and read, "Bicorn- Horn of this creature is used as a potion ingredient. The name bicorn suggests a creature with 2 horns. The Bicorn is a mythical creature with demonic undertones. In medieval literature it is mentioned as a beast, which is sometimes depicted as a both panther-like and cow-like, but in both cases is shown as being fat from overeating. The bicorn eats carefully selected virtuous husbands. The bicorn's counter part is the chichevache.  
  
Chichevache is a very thin cow with a human face, this creature fed on obedient and faithful wives. This counterpart of the bicorn was perpetually hungry as there were very few of these virtuous women."  
  
Remus clapped lightly and smiled as Aidan reclaimed his seat. "Very good Aidan."  
  
Sirius and Jacy ignored them and continued fighting. Sirius said something quietly and turned away from her, looking out the window, a hurt look in his eyes. Jacy looked shocked and laid her hand on his shoulder.  
  
Remus rolled his eyes. Here came the kiss and make up part.   
  
Sure enough they kissed, and most of the girls in the class went "Aw...."  
  
A knock at the door startled an embarrassed Jacy and Sirius out of their embrace.  
  
******* POV Change*******  
  
Jamie stood yet again in front of a door staring at it. Dumbledore had told her to go to Remus' class and give him the note. She didn't know what it was about, but Dumbledore was an admirable Wizard and she genuinely liked him.   
  
She reached again for the knocker as Remus stepped into the hall. He started when he saw Jamie. "Hello."  
  
She jumped back. "Uh... Hi." She reached into her pocket. "Dumbledore asked me to give you this." She held out the letter and Remus took it.   
  
"Thank you."  
  
Jamie grinned. "I'd go back to my room, but I forgot the way."  
  
Remus chuckled. "This castle can be disorienting."  
  
Jamie slung one arm around her back and grabbed the opposite elbow. "They should give out maps." She looked around. "I ought to get back to the headmaster's office."  
  
He grinned wryly. "Be sure to suggest the maps to Albus."  
  
"I will." With a wave she disappeared around the corner.  
  
Remus shook his head and began to open the letter as he entered the classroom.   
  
Jacy was going on with the lesson and Sirius had claimed Remus vacated seat.  
  
  
  
Dear Remus,  
  
As I'm sure you know, Ms. Snape, (Jamison) has only 6 months of wizarding education. It's quite amazing as even though it's rare, when she does use magic, it's wandless. One must be very powerful to use wandless magic as you know especially if untrained.   
  
I feel three DADA teachers are a bit superfluous, so I am asking: would you be willing to tutor Ms. Snape? You'll be compensated of course.  
  
She'll need supplies, and a wand. Your patience is quite renowned.   
  
I'd appreciate a reply as soon as possible.   
  
Sincerely,   
  
Albus Dumbledore.  
  
***********************  
  
  
  
Jamie was lost. She bit her lip as she studied the passage she was in. It was in a rather secluded area of the castle, dimmed by the drapes covering the immense windows. She heard a noise up ahead and jumped.  
  
Filch's cat hissed at her before spinning around and running off. Okay... this was freaking her out. Jamie hugged herself and continued walking, the torches flickering eerily as she passed. Eventually she came to a door. Jamie looked back down the corridor, and flinched. She'd always been afraid of the dark. She heard a fluttering of wings near her head and shrieked.   
  
She opened the door and spun around it into the room, slamming it behind her.  
  
"Albus?" A voice called, deep, if a bit raspy and unsure from the chair facing the fireplace. The dim fire seemed on the verge of dieing.  
  
Jamie swallowed. "No... I... Got lost...."  
  
"Will you come here so that I may look at you?" The masculine voice beckoned.  
  
Jamie bit her lip and made her way over. "I'm so sorry.... It was dark and..." She broke off as she saw the shrunken figure before her. "Are you okay sir?"  
  
He seemed unsettled by her presence. "I don't know you..."  
  
She shifted her feet. "You wouldn't sir... I'm an American... I'm just here until June..." She pointed to the door. "I was trying to find my way back to Dumbledore's office, and I got lost..."  
  
He sat back in his chair, playing with the head of a cane she had failed to notice earlier. "Oh... Albus is the only one who comes to see me... besides Jacy... and Sirius... But they don't come often."  
  
Jamie frowned. "Oh... Jacy's nice..."  
  
"She's my daughter." He smiled a bit.   
  
The door opened, more like slammed as Severus entered. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" He walked between Jamie and the man, as if to protect her.  
  
The man sat forward, frowning now. "Severus, she got lost."  
  
"Tom, this is between Jamie and I." Severus snapped back as he started to pull her towards the door.  
  
The man seemed to with drawl into himself and he stared at the fire.   
  
"I'm sorry to have intruded Tom..." That was all she could manage before she was into the hall, but it didn't matter, as he seemed to be somewhere else.  
  
"Do you have any idea what you could have done?" Severus raged at her, combing his fingers through his black hair. "Any idea at all?"  
  
"No." She looked him in the eye.   
  
He shook his head. "Don't you know who that was?"  
  
"That's quite enough Severus." Dumbledore's voice came softly from behind them.   
  
Severus rounded on the headmaster. "But Albus..."  
  
Dumbledore's normal twinkle was gone. "Don't Severus. He knows of the past, and regrets it deeply. He will never be able to atone for his mistakes but this is not the same man... People change."  
  
Severus looked shamed. "This is yours I believe headmaster." He handed him a bit of worn parchment.  
  
Albus studied it for a moment before saying, "Mischief Managed."  
  
"Dumbledore... what was so wrong about me being in that room?" Jamie looked about nervously in the dark.  
  
The Headmaster saw her discomfort and lit the tip of his wand. "It's hard to explain... Walk with me?"  
  
"Sure." A frown line marred her otherwise smooth forehead.  
  
"Tom is a victim... of his own making. He's made terrible mistakes that surely have influenced the lives of every person on this planet in some way shape or form." He walked at her side, robes grazing the floor as they walked.  
  
Jamie had a bad feeling. "He said Jacy was his daughter..."  
  
The headmaster nodded. "And my niece... She gave him a second chance..."  
  
He sighed. "Tom Marvolo Riddle is a man of conflict... he wants more than anything atonement... to be able to live free of his past mistakes."  
  
Jamie gasped. "I was in the same room as Vold..."  
  
He lifted a finger. "Not Voldemort. Tom Riddle... They are two vastly different people carried by one unfortunate body. Jacy erased Voldemort by casting Erasara Memoraba... but eventually Tom came back to us, and it became clear that he did remember Voldemort's sins... Which is unusual. Gradually we realized he was another person within Tom... an alternate personality..."  
  
Jamie had no words.  
  
Dumbledore studied her. "Do you understand?"  
  
"I think so..." Her mind was filled with Voldemort's history.   
  
"Good... now I suggest you get to your rooms."  
  
"I don't know the way..." She spoke quietly.  
  
"Ah..." He smiled a bit.  
  
Jamie looked at him through her lashes. "Remus suggested maps..."  
  
The twinkle returned to his eyes. "I'll take that into consideration... but Remus and Sirius are far more acquainted with map making than I..."  
  
"Excuse me sir?"  
  
He chuckled. "Nothing... just an old man's ramblings..."  
  
Jamie doubted it, and lapsed into silence on the way to her room 


	10. Struggle

This fic is going to R. The muse has ordered it. Deal.   
  
Warning: This chapter has some detailing of a rape. Don't read if it will offend you.   
  
Also: Bonus to anyone who guess who this couple is.  
  
He was fighting... He wanted out. He was helpless and watched in horror as his body entered, shattering the muggle's virginity. Inside he retched, hearing her screams. His grief fought to the surface and tears splashed down onto the poor girl's face. She screamed, trying to struggle. The order under the Imperious couldn't let that happen and he smacked her. She stopped struggling, laying there sobbing. Finally his body was spent and he collapsed on top of her.   
  
Feminine laughter echoed through the air as she watched the show. Her cold blonde and blue-eyed surface portraying her icy satisfaction. He needed to be punished. Almost sending that owl to Dumbledore. He lie there, unable to say the words she felt him struggling to say. He had managed to cry and that was too much. "Kill her."  
  
He shook inside. He may have been prejudiced in his youth, but not enough to kill and rape. It was her using his body as a sick tool. She had been since 5th year. The Imperious moved his body and he pulled out of her with a sick pop. His wand hand rose as he stood, and he choked on the words even as it forced him to say them. "Advada Kedavara." Green light flashed brilliantly, and he closed his eyes as the muggle fell dead.  
  
"Very good..." She stepped over the muggle body, kicking it scornfully. "But you're still fighting... you know you can't break through... your line is weak when it comes to the Unforgivables." She smacked him harshly. He stared, his silver eyes empty. "Don't try it again! I'll make it worse..." She cupped the side of his face and kissed him. "Now go to your rooms like a good little boy."   
  
He bent down, retrieving his clothes and dressing quickly before making his way to the door. He could be alone now. He wouldn't have to see her.   
  
"Oh... and darling... tell me how much you love me..." She drawled as she sat behind the desk.  
  
He gagged, but chose not to resist this time. "I love you." He fled, needing to get away from her.  
  
She chuckled coldly. He was weak. Always had been. The foolish moral streak made her laugh and scream at the same time.   
  
She glanced down at the papers on her desk, seeing a days old newspaper. The Snape family article was on top, the picture of the oldest with it. Augusta had had to erase the memory of his family. Well, she'd give it back, if only to have her revenge. Double agent... traitor. He'd turned his back on their lord, and he let the Lord's foolish daughter... She growled, and then smiled. IT didn't matter. A bit of her blood, and her Lord would be back, same, as he had been before. She ran her finger over Jamison Snape's face. And this was her key to Severus. Smirking, she stood, and left the study. 


	11. Aura

Let me make this clear…. Don't read this author's note if you haven't read the 5th book, or if you don't care that I will spoil the ending. This is for Sirius! (The beginning of the chapter…) By the way, this chapter sucks... in my view point. Have fun...  
  
*Also, yet another author's note is at the bottom, but it does not concern the 5th book.  
  
JKR may be an awesome author, but I don't know if I'm too interested in reading any more of the Harry Potter books. Why? She killed Sirius. There was no proper explanation of what the archway he fell through was, or why there was no chance of him returning. NONE. The portrayal of James pissed me off, I wanted to bitch slap Dumbledore, well, most of the Order of the Phoenix. How could they not tell him? (Harry.) How? Seriously. Well I'm sure JKR enjoyed the fact, or would enjoy the fact that, as a stupid sap I am, I cried at Sirius death, it is a damn good thing she doesn't leave an address for fan-mail, or in my case, Howlers. She didn't explain anything! What was the flipping archway? Hm? I find the plot in this book hard to follow. Half of the actions of the characters in this book, once examined and compared to the other books, seem way off balance. I've read all the books, except for obviously the 5th, 16 times. Call me obsessed, but there you have it. Anyway, comment in reviews, if you're even bothering to read.   
  
Story~  
  
Jacy sat quietly on the window seat, her hands cupping the small swell of her tummy. Sirius was walking towards the castle in the pouring rain. She smiled a bit. Sirius had only wanted to protect the baby when he'd interfered with her lesson plan. He disappeared from her view as he made his way up the castle steps. She was so lucky. Very lucky. They mightn't be together at all had last year's battle gone differently. He was okay though, and so was she.   
  
Jacy rubbed her tummy, wondering what their child would look like. A little boy, just like Sirius with her eyes? Oh… and he'd be just as mischievous as his father, getting into trouble and the like.   
  
Sirius entered the room, stripping off his sopping wet cloak. "Hey luv."  
  
Jacy stood, smiling as she walked over to him. "Hey yourself."  
  
Sirius threw his cloak on a chair, and instead of scolding him like normal, Jacy eased her arms around his neck. "I love you."  
  
He lifted an eyebrow. "Oh? That's news… I don't think I have ever heard you say that before… but wait! Does that mean I haven't told   
  
you I love you as well?" His arms slid around her waist.   
  
She kissed him, just below the jaw, feeling his 5 o'clock shadow beneath her lips. "Nope, never." She snuggled into his arms.  
  
He dipped down to look her in the eye. "Are you okay luv?"  
  
She looked up at him. "I was just thinking about the battle. I realized how lucky I am."  
  
Sirius nodded. "We both are." He studied her purple eyes before leaning down and kissing her lips, barely brushing his mouth over  
  
hers. She went to her tip toes and he pulled back a bit. Not enough to break the kiss, but maintaining his teasing. His lips teased over hers and his tongue traced them.   
  
'Sirius…" She sighed, leaning further into him.  
  
He just smiled a bit, lifting her and carrying her to the bed, where he sat down, her in his lap. He nibbled her lips, then parted them. She opened her mouth and his tongue mated with her as his hand tangled in her hair.   
  
Finally the kiss ended and she lay against his chest on the bed. After a while she spoke. "What do you think our baby's going to be like?"  
  
Sirius chuckled, his hand cupping her tummy. "Oh… A pretty little girl with her mother's eyes… a fondness for pranking Snape…" He trailed off.  
  
"Oh you! Severus is nice. You should get to know him." She cupped his hand in hers, intertwining their fingers.  
  
"Luv, I'm sorry. I've been trying but you're going to have to face the fact that I am never going to like him." He squeezed her fingers.   
  
"I know… but you are NOT to teach our baby about pranking."  
  
Sirius smiled. "I'll think about it." He yelped as she smacked him.   
  
"I love you." She broke down laughing.   
  
"I love you too."  
  
  
  
*********Fade to black***********  
  
Jamie sat quietly in Dumbledore's office as she waited for Remus it was the first time in 11 years she'd be doing magic with a wand. A loaner of course. She hadn't made it to Ollivander's yet for a new one.  
  
Remus strolled into the room and Jamie relaxed. He clamed her for some reason. At the same time he made her restless. She didn't understand. "Hey."  
  
"Jamie." He nodded as he came towards her. "Are you ready?"  
  
"I don't think I ever will be." She said, her lips quirking wryly.   
  
"Aw… You'll get the hang of it." He set a case on the desk. "We're going to start with charms."  
  
"Oh." She wriggled in her seat.  
  
He set two feathers on the desk. "This is a simple levitation charm. Quite simple." He set his own wand on the desk. "Put you wand on the desk please."  
  
"Why?" Jamie looked at it.  
  
"It might think you're trying to cast the charm. Now, repeat after me." He wrote the charm on the blackboard. "Wingardium Leviosa."   
  
"Wingardium Leviosa." she repeated dutifully.  
  
"Good. Now the wand movements are quite important. After me. Swish and flick." He swished and flicked his wand.   
  
"Uh…" Jamie tried to repeat the motions but her wrist wouldn't cooperate. "Dang it."  
  
Remus chuckled a bit. "Like this." He demonstrated again.  
  
"I'll try…" She sighed. Flick and well, whatever it was, it certainly wasn't a swish. Wrong order to begin with. She frowned.  
  
"Here." Remus leaned over her, taking her hand and guiding it. "Swish and flick." He lead her through the motions several times.  
  
His touch seemed hot and she could feel his breath on her neck. She could even smell him. It was musky and natural. You couldn't get that smell out of a bottle. She shivered a bit.  
  
"Okay, now you." His golden eyes twinkled down at her, oblivious to her discomfort as he stood back.  
  
"Swish… and flick." She concentrated, biting her lip as her wand went through the motions perfectly.  
  
"Great." Remus grinned.  
  
"Now we'll actually cast it. Wingardium Leviousa." He swished and flicked his wand at the feather which flew gently into the air.  
  
"Cool!" Jamie stood. She'd seen magic before of course, but it seemed amazing anyway. And they expected her to be able to do this like a proper witch? With a wand?  
  
'I suppose. Your turn." He let the feather fall to the desk and stepped back.  
  
"My… my turn? But I…" She stuttered.  
  
"Go ahead."  
  
Jamie took a deep breath. "Wingardium Leviousa. The feather exploded, sparks flying, whisps of smoke rising into the air. She glared. The wand felt wrong to her. "Damn thing." She looked at Remus who had raised an eyebrow while he stiffled a smile. "Sorry."  
  
She tried again and this time the feather merely rolled over even though her motions and her pronunciation had been perfect. "What the heck?"   
  
Remus was puzzled himself. "Why don't you try again."   
  
Jamie was sick of the wand. "Fine." She tossed the wand to the side and raised an nonchalant eyebrow at the feather which obliged her silent command by floating lightly into the air, swirling as it went.   
  
Remus mouth dropped. "What'd you just do?"  
  
"I told the stupid thing I was sick and tired of the fucking wand, I was out of patience and to get it's freaking self into the air." She said calmly.   
  
"But… you didn't have a wand." He frowned.  
  
Jamie waved a hand. "I cook like this in the kitchen. It's easier when you don't have to leave something on the stove to go and grab something in the pantry."  
  
Remus sat down in a chair, looking confused. "I think we're going to be talking to the Headmaster… but can we test this a bit?"  
  
"Uh… sure?" She plopped back into her chair. "How?"  
  
Remus grabbed a piece of paper and threw it into the previously empty fireplace. "Set that on fire."   
  
Fire? She hadn't attempted that before. She bit her lip and stared at it. 'Burn' she thought. It smoked briefly before the edges browned and began to curl. Flames became visable and they danced happily over it.   
  
Remus leaned forward. "Put it out."  
  
Jamie chewed her lip some more. 'Extinguish-' she didn't get to finish the thought before the flames simply disapeared. "Wow."  
  
"I'll say." Remus stared at her. "Can you return it to like it was before you burned it?"  
  
"I can try…" Jamie was amazed that she was even able to these things. Simple summoning charms were all she ever used. She furrowed her brow. 'restore the paper'. The ash gathered and it looked almost as if someone had pressed rewind on a VCR. Soon the paper was laying in the fireplace.   
  
"We need to tell Dumbledore. I've never heard of anything like this." Remus stood. "Coming?"  
  
"Yeah." Jamie stared at the paper, then followed him.   
  
************  
  
Aidan yawned. Divination had to be the most boring class ever. History of magic you at least could learned something. This was, to be frank, bull shit.   
  
Trelawny floated eerily about the room. "Now, I'm want you to break into groups of two. There will be one group of three as Mr. Snape has joined us. Today we are going to be reading auras. As you learned in your reading assignment, there are several different types." She looked around. "Can anyone tell me what the colors are?"  
  
Lavender raised her hand, doing a rather good impression of Hermione. "Yes Lavender?"  
  
Lavender preened. "Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, purple, pink, gold, white, gray, brown, and black."  
  
"Excellent. Now I want you to take turns reading your partner." She floated up to her desk and lit another stick of incense.   
  
Aidan chocked. That shit was gross.  
  
"Please keep track of your readings and hand them in at the end of class." She continued. "You may begin."  
  
Aidan shook his head. Stupid ditz. He had begun looking about the room for a group to join when she spoke again.   
  
"And refer to page 368 and 369 in your text books."  
  
She seemed finished and Aidan stood. Ron and Harry saw him and waved him over. Great. He had a group.  
  
He grabbed his stuff and moved over to their table, snagging and extra chair. "¿Qué pasa?"   
  
Ron and Harry looked at him as if he was nuts. "Huh?"  
  
Aidan rolled his eyes. "What's up?"  
  
"Oh… nothing but this lame assignment." Harry began flipping to the proper pages in his book. "So why isn't Ray taking this class?"  
  
"She's taking Arithmacy… she already has a major in divination. I'm going for a double." Aidan pulled the ball towards him. "So… who wants to be read?"  
  
"You're volunteering to go first?" Ron gaped.  
  
Aidan shrugged. "Why not? Auras are easy. The Tarot is worse."  
  
"You're nuts." Ron shook his head.  
  
"Yeah. Be careful or Trelawny'll think you actually like Divination." Harry smiled.  
  
"I do." Aidan looked at Ron. "I'll read you. Your Aura is stronger than Harry's."   
  
Ron and Harry looked at each other. Ron shrugged. "O…kay."  
  
Aidan grinned, shifting in his seat as he closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them. He studied Ron for a bit, but not looking at him directly. After about sixty seconds he nodded. "Okay." He grabbed a piece of parchment and his quill and began to write.   
  
"Er… Aidan? Aren't you going to use the book?" Ron questioned.  
  
"Nah. It's easy enough." Aidan leaned over the paper, continuing to write.  
  
Lavender looked over and saw Aidan writing without a book in front of him. She raised her hand.   
  
"Yes Lavender?" Trelawny drifted over.  
  
"I think Aidan is passing notes." She pointed.  
  
Hearing his name, Aidan looked up. "Huh?"  
  
Trelawny floated over. "What are you doing?"  
  
Aidan raised a brow. "I just finished reading Ron and I was writing it down…"  
  
Trelawny made a 'yeah right' face. "Without your book? Let me see."  
  
Aidan handed her the parchment, a scowl on his face.  
  
"I read notes aloud in this class." She turned, facing the rest of the class and began. "Ron's aura is a muddy yellow, suggesting excessive thinking, feelings of being deprived of recognition and being dogmatic. He has a shading of pink that suggest immaturity and the black around his heart indicates…" She trailed off. He hadn't been able to finish his notes before she had taken it. She looked stunned. "You did this with out your book?"  
  
Aidan sneered. "That would be why you felt the need to take it from me, thinking it was a note to someone."  
  
Trelawny blushed. "And what does the black over his heart indicate?"  
  
"It indicates that he's protecting it and gives his love carefully." He said as if talking to a child. "May we finish the assignment?"  
  
She nodded, handing back the paper before floating away.  
  
Ron gaped. "How'd you know that stuff?"  
  
"At my other school auras are first year stuff. Easy. Your's is easy, very bright." Aidan smirked. "Hey, I've been meaning to ask you, why are Fred and George here? Aren't they a bit old?"  
  
Ron nodded. "They got in an accident last year… after the battle and didn't get to finish the year, so they're back."  
  
"Ah… So Harry… Your turn. You can read me." Aidan turned to Harry.  
  
"But… I…" Harry pushed his glasses up his nose. "Okay." He stared just past Aidan and jumped when he saw a glowing out line around him. "What was that?!"  
  
"What?" Aidan raised an eyebrow.  
  
"There was a glowing out…. Line-y thing around you." Harry tilted his head, trying to see it again.   
  
Aidan laughed. "You've never seen an aura before huh? Well… you just saw mine. Now try again and pay attention to the colors and where they are."  
  
Harry nodded and studied the 'glowy outline-y thing'. Aidan's aura was a reddish purple with a ruby red around his pelvis area. Harry blinked and looked directly at Aidan. "Okay, Your aura is a reddish purple…" He looked in the book. "Which means you have great passion, strength of will, and a need for greater individual effort." And you have a really bright red around your pelvis which means…" Harry blushed. "You have great sexual energy."   
  
Aidan laughed.   
  
Ron looked puzzled. "I don't get how you're doing this… I've been staring at Harry and I haven't seen anything."  
  
Aidan smiled. "It's easy. Look at Harry." He paused while Ron did so. "Now look beyond him. Give it a second then remember what you're seeing, but don't look right at Him… just beyond him."  
  
Ron nodded and gaped when he saw it, but followed Aidan's directions. "Wow."  
  
Aidan focused on Harry's aura, tilting his head. "Harry, has anyone ever hurt you?"  
  
"Why?" Harry furrowed his brow.   
  
"Your aura is green… but it looks bruised. With Black." Aidan looked at him sadly. "Who hurt you?"  
  
Harry shook his head. "It doesn't matter. It's in the past."  
  
Aidan nodded. "'Kay."  
  
Ron began to write it down, omitting the black part and adding a red area around Harry's pelvis. "She aught to believe that. We're teenage boys."  
  
They laughed, but Aidan was a bit sad for Harry. The bell rang and they stood.   
  
"Mr. Snape… Please stay after." Trelawny called faintly.   
  
"Oh… bad luck… We'll wait outside… lunch is next." Ron looked at him with sympathy.  
  
"Yeah." Said Harry.  
  
"Nah… don't worry about it. I'll meet you at the table… just save me a seat." Aidan turned back into the classroom.  
  
"Mr. Snape… I have to ask. Where did you learn to read auras?" Trelawy sipped tea from an extremely ugly pink teacup.   
  
Aidan shrugged. "It was first year stuff at my school."  
  
"Ah. Well, I'd appreciate it if you help Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter. They try hard the poor dears, but just don't have the talent you do." She looked at him with a small smile like, 'You're my new favorite student and you're such a sweetheart.'  
  
Aidan gagged. "Sure… um… I gotta run… lunch."  
  
"Go ahead." Trelawny waved a hand.  
  
Aidan eased out the door. "No wonder Sev hates her," He muttered.  
  
"No wonder Sev hates who?" Ray popped up from her spot on the floor.  
  
"Merlin Ray! You scared the hell out of me!" Aidan shook his head, adjusting his backpack on his shoulder.  
  
She laughed. "So who does Sev hate? Treeyard?"  
  
Aidan laughed. "Trelawny, and the woman knows nothing about Divination. I don't know why the hell she's allowed to teach."  
  
"Ah… well guess what?" Ray skipped ahead.  
  
"What?" Aidan kept a slow easy pace.  
  
"We have flying lessons next!" Ray was practically jumping up and down.  
  
"Uh huh… well, right now we have lunch, and quite frankly, I'm hungry, so scoot." Aidan shoved her gently towards the great hall.   
  
Ray laughed and they entered together.   
  
"Fred is so nice… he even listened to my ideas…" Ray trailed off. "How'd you meet him anyway?"  
  
"Ran into him in the hall… He offered me a canary cream, which thanks to my loving sister, I've learned to recognize." Aidan plopped down next to Harry and Ron.   
  
"What'd Trelawny want?" Ron asked, his mouth half full.  
  
"I'm supposed to help you poor dears, who try so hard but can't get it." Aidan laughed.  
  
Ray bit her lip. "I'm going to skip on over to Slytherin…"  
  
They didn't even blink. "Kay."  
  
Shaking her head, she sat down next to the girl Aidan had fallen on. "Hey."   
  
Blaise turned. "Hello… Ray right?"  
  
Ray nodded. "Yup." She glanced over at her twin, frowning a bit, then grabbed an apple.  
  
Blaise saw and said, "Gryffs tend to ignore us Slytherins… we used to provoke them… or Draco and his goons anyway."  
  
Ray shook her head. "He's my brother."  
  
"Well, his new friends are Gryffs… It'd be different if they were… I don't know." Blaise blushed. "I'm coming off as a house snob and I'm not… I just state things as I see them."  
  
Ray rolled her eyes. "I understand… but look… no offense, I just don't feel like taking…"  
  
Blaise looked a bit hurt, but nodded. "Sure." She bit her lip and turned away, pushing her food around on her plate.   
  
Ray felt like a bitch. Shaking her head she looked around for Jamie. Nope. Her sis wasn't in the great hall. She sighed and stood. "Sorry Blaise."  
  
Shaking her head, she left the hall.   
  
A/N : Lily Skylo,  
  
Thank you very much for your reviews. 3 out of my 7 reviews are from you. They make me feel good and make me want to write this story. I did try to e-mail you, but my computer would let me. Sorry. 


	12. Jumbled

Ugh! Guys I'm SO sorry… yeah… I'm sure you really care. Anywho, I've gotten off my bum and updated. This chapter kinda has some info you'll need… maybe… if the muses don't suddenly change their minds or go on hiatus again. Really rude of them eh? Now, please review, and be specific about what you liked… what could use improvement and such… It'd be very helpful.   
  
I'd very much like to thank whereistruth (A very good writer! Many spiffy stories!) For beta-ing this chapter and hopefully many more. Yes... my comas are where they should be! Albus knows more than the word, "Indeed!" Hm... Maybe ya'll should be scared... I might turn into an actual writer! hehe. Anyway... Thank you!   
  
P.S. I was very tired when writing this A/N… still am. Sorry for the weird vernacular. *Waves* Good night… sleepy by I doth go…   
  
Also… if it's a bit wonky with the format… my e-mail did this evil thing… those things appeared wherever there was an enter and for spaces…. Took me a while to fix, as it was one big messed up chunk o' story but I coulda missed some. Sorry. (Can you tell I don't have her edit my A/Ns?)   
  
~Story!   
  
Blaise watched the American girl leave the Great Hall, a bit stung. So much for being friendly…   
  
She looked up the table and saw Draco Malfoy making eyes at Ginny Weasley. Typical… very typical. Blaise tended to sit at the end of the table, preferring to study her peers than join into their mostly petty conversations. When she did try, as with Ray, she was brushed aside.   
  
She rolled her eyes, looking up to the head table. Prof. Snape was acting less… git-y… since his family had come to Hogwarts. Oddly enough, even towards Harry Potter, whom everyone knew he detested. As if sensing he was being watched, he turned towards her. She met his gaze for a second, and then looked away, towards his brother. Their resemblance was startling.   
  
Blaise looked down at her food, taking one last bite before pushing it away. Sighing, she went back to people watching. After a while, her eyes rested on the Profs. Black. They were sitting close to one another, giving soft glances at each other.   
  
'Must be nice…' she thought. 'To have someone look at you like that.' Honestly though, Blaise couldn't think of a single Slytherin boy she'd like to exchange such a look with. Most were too self-centered for her tastes.   
  
The doors to the Great Hall opened, signaling the end of lunch. Blaise grabbed her books and made her way out.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
  
Tom stared straight ahead into the fire. Albus had just left, and yet again he was alone. Always he was alone, with nothing for company except for the longing of release, the need for repentance. But that wasn't going to happen. Not now… not tomorrow… or the next day. Maybe not ever. He couldn't be trusted.   
  
Albus trusted him to a point, but there was always the slightest chance that HE hadn't been… destroyed after all, and would resurface someday… thus this… prison. But it was what he deserved after all. All those years being able to do nothing while he watched… Horrible things. Evil crimes ordered by…him.   
  
Tom had always been locked away. Well… It'd started when he'd come to Hogwarts. The moment that hat touched his head… it'd started. He'd taken over, leaving Tom to watch from a far off corner in his mind. Now… now there was this.   
  
A log snapped in the fire, but he didn't even blink. This was indeed a prison. A prison almost as bad as the other. Now he was able to control his actions… but now he was dealing with the consequences of crimes he hadn't meant to commit. His eyes prickled, and a now familiar wetness rolled slowly down his cheeks.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
  
Jamie watched Remus pace back in forth in front of the desk as he explained to the Headmaster what had happened. The headmaster had a twinkle in his eyes, but Remus looked like something wild… something that had been caged.   
  
"…I'm telling you, Albus… I've never seen anything like it! That sort of… power… I could feel it." He looked over his shoulder at Jamie.   
  
"Then I suggest we train her up a bit more, then…. What do you think Ms. Snape?" Albus peered over his moon shaped spectacles.   
  
"Who? Me?" Jamie sat up. "Think what?"   
  
Remus shook his head, but stopped his pacing. "We need to train you more… more complex spells, defense… Everyday charms…"   
  
"Oh." Jamie nodded. "Okay… I just kinda thought that was an obvious thing… cause yeah…one lesson…"   
  
Dumbledore looked down at his desk and grabbed a lemon drop. "Indeed, Ms. Snape."  
  
Remus sighed, scratching the back of his neck with one hand. "I'm sorry. I've just never encountered something quite like this before." He looked at Jamie. "I'm sorry if I appear ru…"He froze looking up. "Someone's coming."   
  
Albus nodded. "I believe so."   
  
"What?" Jamie raised and eyebrow. "Did I miss something?"   
  
A loud knock came on the office door.   
  
Jamie nodded. "Because you know… that was in no way freaky."   
  
The men ignored her. "Remus, could you get that please?" Albus inclined his head towards the door.   
  
The other man nodded and pulled it open. Snape froze, mid knock. "Headmaster." Severus seemed to forget that Remus existed, and frankly, didn't even seem to notice   
  
Jamie. "I've just received an owl from Augusta…"   
  
Remus looked at Jamie, then Albus. "Should I leave?"   
  
Both Snapes spoke at once.   
  
"Yes."   
  
And, "No… Remus…. It's okay." Severus looked at his sister.   
  
"Jamie… what are you doing here?"   
  
She fidgeted. "Well… see… I was naughty. Very naughty." She looked at Remus then blushed.   
  
Remus smiled. "Hardly. Actually… She was so exceptional in her lesson that I felt the need to consult the headmaster."   
  
Severus glared. "Is that so?"   
  
"That is so." Albus interrupted. "Lemon drop anyone?"   
  
Jamie raised her eyebrows. "Er… no thanks." Everyone but the headmaster and herself was standing, and she was getting a crick in her neck. "Am I needed here?"   
  
"Actually… Augusta was only whining because Ms. St. James took her seriously when she was told she was fired." Severus sat heavily in one of the chairs.   
  
"Ms. St. James?" Jamie furrowed her brow. Who the heck was that? It kinda sounded familiar… but not quite…   
  
Remus stood, watching Jamie. She really was quite interesting… very lovely. Her eyes were quite intriguing as well. He shook himself mentally and began to pay attention to the conversation again.   
  
"Ms. St. James is Augusta's companion." Dumbledore leaned his elbows on his desk. "Her family has been forced to work for Augusta since she was a small child."   
  
Severus scowled. "Indeed."   
  
"I don't get it… is she evil or something?" Jamie glanced from the headmaster to Severus.   
  
"No." Albus shot a look at Severus. "No she's not. She's just had a rather unfortunate life."   
  
Severus drew himself together. "I just thought you ought to know."   
  
Remus could feel the resentment rolling off Severus in waves. "Albus, I do believe I'll be going now."   
  
The Headmaster looked at him and nodded. "Once again I extend my gratitude for your part in furthering Ms. Snape's education."   
  
Jamie smiled at Remus even as he replied, "Of course, Albus… I'll see you tomorrow, Jamie."   
  
"Bye, Remus." She waggled her fingers at him, and then looked back at her brother. "Sev… why do you dislike this lady so much?"   
  
Her brother stood, towering. "I dislike her so much because she's a bloody monster." Severus stalked out of the office, an intangible cloud of black anger about him  
  
Alone with the headmaster, Jamie nodded. "Because that explains so much… she seemed nice enough to me…"   
  
"Caryn St. James is very nice…despite her circumstances."   
  
She was almost afraid to ask. "Circumstances?"   
  
"Ms. Snape… Caryn St. James' father was a vampire… as was her mother. Caryn is… a hybrid if you will… when her mother was bitten, you see, she was already in labor with Caryn… very little of the vampiristic traits were passed to her." Dumbledore's eyes held no twinkle as he revealed this.   
  
"Wait, though… what about the guy who got her mom pregnant… what happened to him?" Jamie tilted her head.   
  
"Ah… one and the same. You see, he was turned after he had…impregnated… her mother if you will. He stayed away until the night of her birth… then turned her mother just before Caryn was brought into the world. Caryn… she's very fair… sunlight burns her very easily, though admittedly she does not burst into flames then to ashes. She does not crave blood… unless she is wounded. Caryn does however, have their ability to heal very quickly."   
  
Jamie didn't know what to say, nor could she comprehend why she was being told this. "But why work for Augusta, then?"   
  
He continued, "They served Augusta because her father lost control… he killed a man… before they had managed to keep their feedings secret… but this man was very high profile if you will. Augusta offered to cover this up… for a price. Faced with death or a sum they couldn't possibly pay, they vowed to serve her until she said otherwise."   
  
"Merlin…" She sank back into her chair. Poor Caryn… "But why does Sev loathe her so?"   
  
"That is something only he knows."   
  
"And he's the typical Snape… which means he's all stubborn and will not explain or attempt to think rationality about this…"   
  
"Indeed Ms. Snape." Dumbledore pushed the bowl of lemon drops at her. "Lemon drop?" 


	13. I Believe

Warning: Short chapter, long rant. I've had NO time to work on this and the muses are being cruel. I know what I want to do with it, but getting there is being a brat. Pay attention to the rant, enjoy the fic, and leave constructive reviews.   
  
"Lemme guess. You also hated everything beyond the second book except the names of the characters, right?   
  
Navigating the "intro" was a bit like trying to follow the Gordion Knot... after that, it got worse. You managed to get every canon character OOC, and royally screw with every bit of history written into the stories since... well, since page one of the first book. Your OCs are nothing more than self insertions of you and I'm guessing a good friend, and badly written at that.  
  
Oh, right. I'm supposed to be constructive, not honest.  
  
The first pargraph of the intro didn't make me sad, it made me crack up. Anthropomorphising one's eyes? Really. Not only that, but it seems to have absolutely nothing to do with the rest of the story. Disjointed introductions can work - but your's isn't one of the ones that can.  
  
Why is snape american? Why is anyone american? Harry Potter books don't even touch on america, save one reference during the fourth book to a few american witches.   
  
tattoo... ear piercing = dark side? What are you, 12?  
  
Are they magical or not? You never really tell us... they know of the wizarding world, so I assume they are, but, then, why is nothing about their lives in america magical?  
  
Give us a reason why Jamie only had 6 months magical education. Any reason. "Her wand was eaten by rats" is a reason.  
  
Contest... Hogwarts... Worst Plot Device Ever. Seriously.  
  
And the first "chapter"... I got no further than the WILDLY OOC Snape allowing a student to a) barge in late b) talk back to her, and c) outright threaten him without throwing them headfirst into Filch's office - or his own - for punishment. By that point my eyes were bleeding so much that I couldn't read.  
  
Please - if you must destroy - because you do, completely, and utterly, destroy the HP universe - canon... keep it to yourself, for you're the only one that cares."  
  
Okay, I received this "review" on the eighth of December… at first, I was rather… annoyed if you will, but now I'm at the point where I'm laughing. Really. Lovely grammar Cannonkeeper. Just… lovely.   
  
I'm going to review this review for everyone, so they will understand what I believe is an appropriate review, and what's something better suited for the garbage can.   
  
I don't give a damn about the Harry Potter characters being out of character. They are as I want them. Don't tell me they are OOC when it's fairly darn obvious I never tried to have them in character in the first place.   
  
My OC's…. Very much not me other than the lusting after Remus, Sirius, Severus, and Draco… well, I'm sure there are more, but I'm far too lazy at the moment to go through and list them all.   
  
All stories are influenced by something in someone's life. It can't be helped. My characters however, aren't based on my friends, or myself. Call them Mary Sue if you want… it's an ugly name, but it's your choice. Why not Billy Jo? Or something equally disgusting? Anyway, I'm not having a character that's weak and uninteresting. Deal.  
  
Oh lord, here's where I laughed the hardest! "Anthropomorphising one's eyes?" Spell it with me, "A-n-t-h-r-o-p-o-m-o-r-p-h-i-z-i-n-g." If you're going to use a fifty-dollar word, spell it right. Secondly, use it properly. For those of us without a thesaurus, anthropomorphizing is a really fancy word for personification. That is, giving human features or personality to something that's not human. LOL! You can't anthropomorphize something that's human already.   
  
Snape is American because I made him American. People are American because like me, they were born in the United States of America. JKR isn't writing this story, I am. And in this story, there are, guess this, Americans! Shocking isn't it?  
  
Another hilarious thing: "tattoo... ear piercing = dark side? What are you, 12?" Someone read REAL far in this fic didn't they? I'm assuming you're talking about Aidan. I said he HAD a dark side. Not that those were his ways of expressing it. I happen to have my ears pierced several times and would probably get more if I wasn't planning on teaching. I'm also planning on getting a tattoo by the end of the year. So I need to ask, why the hell would you say that? And I'm 17!  
  
Again, cannon keeper obviously didn't finish this story (which they admitted) as their questions are answered. There is a reason given for her not finishing her education.   
  
Contest… Hogwarts…. My plot device… don't like it… bugger off! Seriously.   
  
"Please - if you must destroy - because you do, completely, and utterly, destroy the HP universe - canon... keep it to yourself, for you're the only one that cares."   
  
Destroy… hehe. Go me! It's such fun isn't it? Writing as I want and not bothering to think that some immature, yellowbellied, pansy might not like my story! I'm so inconsiderate for not giving a damn. Darn… I just want to say this… There's a handy little red box with an 'X' in it… It's in the top right hand corner of the screen. Don't like my story, Make real good friends with it…  
  
If you're going to write me a review, be constructive, not stupid. I don't care if you tell me it's a good story and ask me to update, just tell me why you liked it. If you don't like my story, read it through. Give me specific, plausible reasons for your dislike… If you can't, don't review. Don't be rude, I'll just get pissy for a bit, then laugh. I will NEVER delete a review. Cannonkeeper's is even staying up. They're entitled to their… opinion, even though I think the way they chose to express it was about as well thought out and as mature as something a spurned three-year-old would write.   
  
  
  
~~~Story~~~  
  
Blaise growled, shifting in her flying robes. She HATED flying. Hated, abhorred, despised, detested, and LOATHED flying. It involved… well heights. And a broom… really, the muggles had the right idea… sweep the floor with one; don't bloody well be-spell it and then make innocent students fly on them!   
  
She stood in line, waiting for role to be taken when she felt someone looking at her, only to look up and see Aidan Snape staring at her. Blaise met his gaze until he smirked, nodding at her.   
  
She blinked, looking down at the broom to her side. Why was he looking at her? Perhaps her robes were undone? She checked, relieved to see that they were properly fastened.   
  
Madame Hooch stepped forward and Blaise shivered as her eyes caught the sun. Honestly, the woman's eyes were scary, she looked like an owl or something.  
  
"Now everyone, we've all flown before… or at least made an attempt that could be called flying under duress." The flying instructor aimed a pointed glance at Blaise, who blushed. Some of her class mates cat-called, teasing her.  
  
"We're going to start off simple, just a couple of laps around the pitch, I'll correct what you're doing, perhaps work one-on-one." Hooch blew her whistle. "Get started!"  
  
Sighing, Blaise held her hand over the broom and spoke strongly and clearly. "Up." It rolled over in a lazy motion.   
  
Everyone else was up and flying, racing each other around. Blaise took a deep breath and tried again to no avail.   
  
She glanced up, seeing Hooch flying in her direction and bit her lip.   
  
"Need some help?"  
  
Blaise jumped, turning towards the masculine voice. "Oh… Aidan. No, I'm fine, I just… flying isn't something I'm good at."  
  
Aidan smirked, leaning on his broom. "Try again, let's see if you're doing anything wrong."  
  
Swallowing hard, Blaise positioned her hand above the broom and said, "Up."  
  
Aidan quirked a brow at the broom's actions. "That's weird… you did it right."  
  
"I've never been good at flying…" she shrugged, biting her lip again.  
  
Aidan observed with interest the way her little white teeth chewed her lip, soft and full already, though it was pinkened and beginning to swell like she'd been well and thoroughly kissed. "That shouldn't matter though…"  
  
"Zabinni! Quit flirting with the new chap and get your arse in the air!" Hooch hollered as she watched Ray soar.  
  
Blaise blushed again. "Sorry." Sighing, she commanded the broom again, relieved when it finally jumped up into her hand. "Thank Merlin."  
  
Aidan smirked, deciding he liked the blush. "Let's go." He mounted his broom, watching as she did the same and took off shakily. He flew with her, happy to just watch her.  
  
Blaise's robes fluttered as they rose, circling the pitch. She could feel his eyes on her, and found it vaguely disturbing, the skin on the back of her neck prickling.  
  
Hooch blew her blasted whistle again. "Keep the laps up! Zabinni, you stick with the new chap! He's got you flying better!"  
  
Aidan shook his head. "Seems physical education instructors are the same everywhere."  
  
Blaise glanced at him. "What? This is flying…"  
  
He laughed. "In my old school we had a gym class on top of flying… we learned to play other sports and how to keep fit."  
  
"Oh." Blaise adjusted her seating Sounded like hell to her.  
  
They were on their tenth circuit when Aidan stopped, hovering. "You should hold the broom like this," He reached across, adjusting her grip on the broom. "See?"  
  
Blaise bit her lip as his hands touched hers. "Yes."  
  
Aidan glanced up to see her bite her lip again and nearly groaned. Damn… that innocent gesture brought a hundred naughty thoughts to his mind. He looked away quickly, starting to fly again. "Come on slow poke!"  
  
****************  
  
Draco sighed, leaning back against the wall as he blinked back tears. Bloody hell.  
  
He glanced down at the book in his hands, knowing he'd have to show Dumbledore, but couldn't bring himself to part with it as of yet. It was his father… all this time.   
  
"Draco?" Ginny finally made it out of her study hall, well aware of the watchful eyes of her class mates. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Gin…" He swallowed and she came forward, wrapping her arms around him.   
  
She looked up at him, brown eyes concerned.  
  
Slowly he raised the book. "It's a diary…"  
  
****************  
  
Jamie winced. She so shouldn't be doing this, but his face haunted her. Tentatively she reached out, knocking on the door.   
  
"Come in."  
  
Jamie bit her lip as she entered the room. "Hello."   
  
Tom turned his head slowly. "Hello."  
  
Jamie chewed her lip, her brow furrowed. "I just wanted to talk."  
  
He lowered his gaze. "I don't like to talk about the past."  
  
"Oh! I didn't mean the past! I just meant like talk… about anything… er… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have disturbed you." Jamie swallowed and made for the door.  
  
The gaunt figure gripped his cane as he stood. "No… please stay."  
  
She stopped as he made his way shakily to her. "I'd like to talk… Sometimes I think the world has forgotten me. Little Tommy was never very important."   
  
Jamie shook her head. "No sir. Everyone is important, each of us have our own effect on the universe as a whole, no matter how insignificant we may appear."  
  
Tom gave her a shaky smile. "What else do you believe?"  
  
She smiled. "I believe in trust, faith, and love." Tom took her hand and led her toward the chairs, guiding her into one before he sat.   
  
"It's been so long… it seems like I've forgotten those things exist." He sat slowly, setting his cane to the side.   
  
Tucking one leg under her, Jamie shook her head. "They do, though it's hard to see sometimes. And you can't have one without the others."  
  
Tom sighed. "Sometimes it's hard to trust those you should love… Especially when you have a past like mine."  
  
She lowered her eyes, unsure of what to say. "I guess… then it's up to those you care for to work at forgiving you as you work for forgiveness."  
  
********* 


End file.
